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978.202

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1146024

GENEALOGY COLLECTION

t

3 1833 01066 6391

A HISTORY OF

THE -PIONEER -PERIOD

Tne: Oi^aha of To-dav,

EMBRACING

grltablt ^tatiotite mt^ ^nformattott.

OVER : TWO : HUNDRED : ILLUSTRATIONS, : INCLUDING : PROMINENT : BUILDINGS, PORTRAITS : AND : SKETCHES : OF : LEADING : CITIZENS.

'^^^fe^KB^

OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

D. C. DUNBAR &- CO., PUBLISHERS.

•JANUAR r, iSSS .

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1887, by

D. C. DUNBAR & CO.,

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.

GIBSON, MILLER &= RICHARDSON,

Art Tkinters, Lithographers, Binders and Elect roty per s,

Omaha, Nihraska.

1146024

riFTEENTII STREET— LOOKING NORTH.

PICKERING MEMORIAL M. E. CIRRCII.

Publishers' Preface.

*T was the purpose of the publishers to make Omaha Illustrated a complete compendium of information, relating both to the early history of the city and to the Omaha of today. Every facility which could possibly contribute to this, was at hand. The library of Byron Reed, — itself a complete repository of Omaha history, — the writings of Dr. Geo. L. Miller, and many other valuable resources, were cheerfully rendered accessible, and what was of paramount import- ance, the work of editing was placed in the able hands of Alfred Sorenson, Esq., than whom there are few, if any, more competent to write upon the history of Omaha.

Through no fault of the publishers there have been a few unavoidable omissions in the matter of illustrations, both portraits and buildings. Several prominent citizens whose portraits would have made the book more complete, were absent from the city until too late to admit of making engrav- ings. The unfinished state of some few buildings, also, of which it was impossible to obtain even comprehensive drawings, rendered it impracticable to have satisfactory cuts made.

Appreciating the expressed aversion of distinguished citizens for the gratuitous "pufling" which is usually indulged in by writers of personal sketches, it has been the endeavor of the publishers to confine biographies to a plain and brief review of the salient features of individual histories, and much of the data for this has of necessity been obtained from others than the sub- jects, b}- reason of their excusable reticence which imposed upon the publishers the rather difficult work of gathering information for sketches which the parties themselves could have easily furnish- ed but for reasons of modesty.

SCENES I\ IIANSCOM PARK.

M -

gnarly History of OrTiaha.

THE PIONEER PERIOD.

[HERE are men and women living in Omaha to-day who remember the found- ing of the city as if it were yesterday. It was only thirty-three years ago that the town site was platted and the first building erected. Wlr.it marvelous changes have been wrought within that brief period ! A busy, thriving and progressive city of a hundred thousand people now stands upon the site where but a single cabin could be seen in the summer of 1854. The Territory of Nebraska, organized in that year, has become a great common- wealth— one of the most flourishing States in the Union, with a population of fully one million. The surviving pioneers must indeed look back with wonder at the transformations which they have witnessed, and it must afford them pleasure to recall to mind their struggles in the early years of Omaha's history. The city's growth has certainly far exceeded the expectations of the most sanguine. It is safe to say that not one of the pioneers of 1S54-55 expected to live to see Omaha ever become a great city, such as she is to-day. Those who assisted in the founding of the city, and have ever since continued to lend their aid in her up-building, have a right to be proud of the grand results which have been achieved. The ranks of the pioneers have been thinned from time to time by the hand of death, yet among those who survive may be found some of our most prominent and honored citizens. While some of them have been retired by age from tke active list, and perhaps are comparatively unknown to the busy, rushing throng of younger people who have been attracted hither of late years, it sliould not be forgotten that in times past the veterans fought many a hard battle to maintain Omaha's supremacy, and to secure to her the foundations of the prosperity which she now enjo\'s.

The pioneer period in the history of Omaha is full of stirring and exciting incidents. The old settler enjoys the reminiscence, while the new comer eagerly listens to the recital of that which to him is new and interesting. This historian, therefore, feels confident that these pages will be appreciated by a large number of readers.

The first settlers of Omaha came from Council Bluffs, which in the earl)' days was a Mormon town. The Mormons in their westward pilgrimage from Illinois, beginning in the

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

year 1846, crossed the State of Iowa, and made Council Bluffs one of their principal halting places. The place was at first called "Miller's Hill" by some, and "Miller's Hollow" by others, after a Mormon elder named Miller. The name was soon changed to " Kanesville," in honor of Colonel Thomas L. Kane, a brother of the famous Arctic explorer. When the President called for volunteers for the Mexican war, in 1846, the Mormons respond'^d by organizing a battalion, which crossed the plains to California. Colonel Kane organized this battalion for the Mormons, and became quite popular with them. In 1853, however, the

[But very few men have been identified with the life and growth of Omaha so actively and efficiently as Dr. Creorge L. Miller. He was one of the pioneers, coming to the then straggling and struggling village of Omaha, in October, 1S54. Dr. Miller was born in Boonville, Oneida county, New York, July I, 1831. At the age of seventeen he began the study of medicine at Syracuse, and after five years of office study, went to New York and entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons, from which he graduated in 1852. He practiced his pro- fession for two years after his return to Syracuse, but determined to try the West, and there carve out a name and fortune. He came to Omaha long in advance of the railroads, when stage- coaching to St. Joseph, Mo., was about the only means of communication with the outside world. Here he be gau the practice of medi cine. But people wne f « in those early days, ind pi tients scarcer still, and the hardships of frontier lif were many. He enteii-d politics a year after his ii rival in Omaha, and -was elected to the Teiiitoual Council. He served thiee terms in that body, duiing the last as its piesidin.; officer. In 1S60, in the liopi. of bettering his fortune, he removed to St. Joseph, and while waiting for a practice, turned his attention to lit- erary «oik. Those were ex- citing days, on the eve ot the rebellion, and Dr. Mil- from the West has ranked highe: nents of political economy, as to

of the nation ; Horatio Seymour and Samuel J. Tilden having repeatedly conferred upon him distinguished evidences of their regard and confidence in his abilities. Dr. Miller has never had any penchant for office. When President Cleveland was elected, he was very strongly urged by leading men .all over the country for a Cabinet position, but outside of the distinguishment, the place had no attractions, and he was well contented when another was chosen. Since his retirement from journalism, Dr. Miller has been enjoy- ing the competency which his toil amassed, though still clinging to his identity with Omaha, among whose citizens he enjoys a well- deserved respect.]

name of Kanesville was changed to "Council Bluffs." By this time the place had become an important point, owing to the Mormon immigration, which was very large during the summer season for several years. In addition to this there was the California travel, caused by the gold discoveries. At about the same time that the Mormons made Council Bluffs a halting place they established what they called " Winter Quarters," on the west side of the Missouri river, on the site of the present village of Florence, six miles north of Omaha. The land at that time, in the year 1846, belonged to the Omaha Indians, with whom the Mormons established freindly relations, and made an agreement by which they leased from the Indians for two years sufficient land for their purposes. In less than three months, seven hundred buildings were

ler's editorials in the St. Joseph Gazette attracted such commendatory atten- tion, that he was almost moved to the adoption of journalism as a permanent pursuit. But in 1861 he se- cured the position of sutler at Fort Kearney, and re- mained theve until 1864, when he returned to Omaha, and became the Democratic candidate for Congress, and was defeated. In 1S65, Dr. Miller established the Oma- ha Herald, and continued to be its editor until March I, 1887. With his pen he dill invaluable service for I limha and Nebraska. He 1 uled ceaselessly and vigor- ously for the up-building of hi. city and State. He is a piuerful writer, a deep thinker, and fearless in the Lspiession of his views. Ills strong mentality and piime abilities commanded for him respect abroad as well as at home. In the national councils of the Democratic party no man He is a master of political strategy, and so sound in finance, government, and the other compo- ,k with the statesmen of the day. Indeed he has been the familiar associate of the leading men

)KL,E

ILI ER

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

erected, and the number was soon increased to over one thousand. The town had its workshops, mills and fagtories operated by water power. It became a busy place, and soon contained a popula- tion of from six thousand to eight thousand. The intention was to make "Winter Quarters" the main starting point of the emigrant trains for the West. It being located on the west side of the river, the Mormons could cross on the ice in the winter, and thus avoid ferrying in the spring and summer. Always capricious, and in this case, as it is alleged, instigated by white men, the Indians, notwithstanding they had formerly given the Mormons permission to settle upon their lands, com- plained to the Indian agent that they were trespassing upon them, and cutting too much timber, and killing too much game. The Indian agent accordingly ordered them off the land. Thereupon the Mormons recrossed the river to the Iowa side. To this circumstance a-as attributable the rapid

PSFS OF OMAHA

rise and growth of Kanesville, and the abandonment^of "Winter Quarters" again entirely to its savage inhabitants, leaving only its ruins to indicate its former prosperity. In the annals of the Mormon church, this halting place in the wilderness must always fill an important and interesting page. It was from this spot that the exploring expedition of pioneers, headed by Brigham Young, took its departure on the 14th of April, 1847, in search of a permanent location west of the Rocky Mountains, " far from the haunts of prosecuting Christendom," as one of their historians put it, " and where the footprints of a white man had scarcely ever before been seen." The expedition resulted in the discovery and selection of the Great Salt Lake Valley.

In 1S53 James C. Williams, at the suggestion of Colonel Peter A. Sarpy, of the American Fur Company's trading post at Bellevue, decided to locate a town u[)on the site of "Winter Quarters." He accordingly laid out the town site in the fall of that year, and the name of Florence

OMAI/A ILLUSTRATED.

was given to the place. The resettlement and rebuilding of the town began early in the spring of 1854, the first settlers coming largely from Council Bluffs. Under the new order of things the town once more became a prosperous and busy point. The Mormons, from 1854 to 1865, started

[Ex-Senator Alvin Saunders was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, July 12, 1817. In 1829 his parents removed to Illinois, near Springfield, where, as in Kentucky, he worked upon a farm, and had only the meagre education which a new and sparsely settled country could give. In 1836, desiring to begin life for himself, his parents reluctantly consented to his going West, and he went to the Territory of Wisconsin, halting at the little settlement of Mount Pleasant, now in the State of Iowa. Here he worked for a time again on a farm, then got a place in a country store, and by attending a night school, and diligent study at all spare moments, he supplied much of the deficiency in his early education, and was later taken into a business partnership with an elder brother. He was appointed the first Postmaster of Mount Pleasant by President Van Buren in 1837, although raised a Whig, because no one else would have the office. In 1846 he was removed by Polk, which led to his candidacy for and election to the Constitutional Convention in that year, and thus he assisted in framing the Constitution under which Iowa became a State. In 1854 he was elected, and in 1858 re-elected, to the Iowa State Senate. He was a delegate to the first Iowa State Republican Convention, and also to the Chicago Convention which nominated Lincoln, for whom he voted, and in whose election he aided much during the campaign. In 1861 President Lincoln appointed Mr. Saunders Governor of the Territory of Nebraska, and in 1S65, on the day of the evening on which he was __ ^ purpose has nearly been

assassinated, signed the /i^-'^^S^" ^0^5:S»\ accomplished, to the great

Governor's commission for K ^ " ~\^ gratification of his many

another term. In 1S67, ^ ^^ "~"^^i admirers and sympathetic

when Nebraska was ad- ^ /^ Wvk friends. As Governor of

mitted to the Union as a j \ ^ the Territory, Mr. Saunders

State, Governor Saunders , ^ had a double duty to per-

retired from public life, / * * r \ *°''™ ' ^^ ^^^ '° ''^'^'^ troops

and engaged extensively in '"^feBlit "S^^o^" ^ f°i' service against the

banking and other b'usi- '^p^^W ^(^<- ,| South, and others to sup-

ness. In 1868 he was a J i / P""^^^ ''^^ Indian depreda-

delegate to the Chicago W iL '/ tions on the western border.

National Convention, when |s " "^r' For these purposes the

Grant and Colfax were ■'. iali. 1 Territory had neither

nominated. In 1875 he ^ -, ' ~ ~ money nor credit, and yet

met with severe financial ' by his energy and executive

reverses, which led to his re- ab il i t y he succeeded in

turn to puVilic life by h i s k\ sending into the field over

election to the United StitL ^,* three thousand men for

so, declaring that in time he " "~ ^^ '' the Union Pacific Railroad,

would pay in full; and his ^^ <;fn\T(>r a.mn SOUNDERS. ^^^ ^^.j^^^ ^ 5j,.^„g ^^^^l

was made by Eastern railroads. Council Bluffs and the State of Iowa, to locate the Bridge several miles south of Omaha, the Senator, as Chairman of a Bridge Committee of citizens, gave his time, private means and influence unstintedly to defeat it, and he succeeded. He took a lively interest in the building of the Omaha & Southwestern Railroad, of which he was at one time Vice-President. He largely promoted our present fine school system throughout the State, and as President of the Board of Regents of the High School, secured the erection of our splendid High School Building The City Gas Works, the Street Railways and other enterprises for the city's benefit and the people's comfort and convenience, have found in him a willing and efficient helper. He was also an original promoter and stockholder in the Omaha Smelting Works, which have proved to be one of the most successful business enterprises in the city. As a Senator of the United States, Mr. Saunders was not so conspicuous in debate as in the Committee Room, and there, it is conceded, is where a strong and businesslike man is most felt. He secured to Nebraska six hundred thousand acres of land, by the rectification of the northern boundary line of the State, adjoining Dakota, an achievement only equaled in our history by Thom.as H. Benton's success in attaching the Platte Purchase to Missouri. He secured the establishment of a Labor School for Indians on the Pawnee Reservation, and while Governor of the Territory secured the passage ot the Grazing Law, an .ict of inestimable benefit lo Nebraska farmers, since it compelled the fencing in or control of grazing herds, rather than fencing them out. There is probably no citizen of Nebr.aska, past or present, to whom the State and the city of Omaha owe so much as to Alvin Saunders, and to the credit of the people, both of city and State, it can be said that the obligation is fully recognized, their respect for and confidence in him being unqualified.]

all their emigrant trains from Florence, thus giving to the merchants of Oinaha a very profitable outfitting trade. At one time it was thought that Florence would become a large city, but it went down with the financial crash of 1857-58, and with the final departure of the Mormons it sank into

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

[Byron Reed was bovn at Darien, Genesee county, New York, March 12, 1829. He attended the Alexander Classical School, but left before graduating because of the removal of his family to the then territory of Wisconsin, where a new Darien, in Walworth county, was founded. Mr. Reed entered business life as a telegraph operator, the lines having then been extended from the large eastern cities as far west as Cleveland. From 1849 to the beginning of 1855 Mr. Reed worked on the Cleveland and Pittsburg line, most of the time at Warren, Ohio. He was one of the first to adopt the system of receiving by sound, which is now in universal use, although at first received with doubt and hesitation, and even condemned and ordered abandoned after a year's trial by most of the lines then in operation. Mr. Reed came to Omaha November ic, 185?, and a few weeks later went to Kansas and passed the winter at Leavenworth, Lawrence, Kansas City and other places, as correspondent of the New York Tribune. At that time the " Border Ruffian War" was at its height, and Tribune correspondents at Leavenworth and other pro-slavery places were in great danger. After a time Mr. Reed's connection with the Tribune was discovered and his arrest ordered, but he narrowly escaped from Leaven- worth at night. Another correspondent, Mr. Thillips, was also discovered, and a few months later killed. After four months spent amid the dangers of Kansas, Mr. Reed returned to Omaha, having decided to make it his future home. He opened an oftii old State House building, and established the real est

hich he

the lucted up to the present time

IIBRARY OF BYRON REED. with marked success. The Byron Reed Company is now a corporation with a paid up capital ot $200,000, and probably does a business as large as some of our National banks. In i86o Mr. Reed was elected City Clerk, the office being then without emolu- ments. He served as such continuously for seven years, being succeeded by William L. May in 1S67. From 1861 to 1863 he was deputy County Clerk, and personally recorded all the instruments and documents that were filed. In 1863 he was elected County Clerk for two years. In 1871 he was a member of the City Council, and president of that body in 1872. Mr. Reed gave to the public fourteen acres of land on Prospect Hill, now of great value, for a cemetery ; and, contrary to the usual custom, there is no clause of reversion in the deed of gift, which provides that should the cemetery be discontinued or removed, the land shall go to the city in trust for other uses beneficial to the public, such as a park, or for the erection of public buildings ; and the city is restrained from ever alienating or leasing any part for a valuable consideration. In addition to his generous gift, Mr. Reed undertook the manage- ment of the cemetery when no one else could be found to do it, and under his care it soon became the finest and best appointed cemetery in the West. The Forest Lawn Cemetery Association was also formed through the efforts of Mr. Reed and the late John H. Brackin, with the understanding that Prospect Hill should be turned over to it when organized, and this was done in 1SS5. Mr. Reed is a corresponding member of the American Numismatic and ArchrEological Society of New York, and has been for many years an industrious collector of rare books, manuscripts, autographs and coins. In his library, a view of which is presented on this page, can be found, in addition to all that is of historical value concerning Omaha, many volumes of great value, the work of patient monks in the middle ages, one of which is a missal of the fifteenth century, illuminated in colors, curiously bound in vellum and studded with large iron rivets. His numismatic collection is one of the most complete in the country, being especially rich in Jewish and Roman coins, and is almost perfect in the coinage of this country from colonial times to the present day.]

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

an insignificance fronn which it has never emerged. This mucli has been said in reference to Florence, because it is intimately associated with the early history of Omaha, whose power- ful rival it was for a time.

The Pioneer FerrYiMan and Founder of Omaha. Among the thousands of gold-seekers who started for California in 1849, was William D.

Brown, of Mount Pleasant, Henry county, Iowa. ^ ' ~^ Upon reaching Council Bluffs, he saw that there was

money to be made in carrying on a ferry across the ]\Iissouri river, to accommodate the California and Mormon emigration. Convinced that there \ was more sure profit in such an enterprise than there was in the uncertainty of gold-hunting in a far-oft region, he abandoned his California trip, and established the Lone Tree Ferry — so called from a solitary tree at which his boat landed on the Nebraska side of the

REV. ROBERT DOHERTV, M. A., S. T. D., RECTOR AND PROFESSOR BROW.NELL HALL.

river. He operated his ferry under a charter obtained from the commissioners of Potta- watamie count}', Iowa. The undertaking, as he had anticipated, proved ver\- profitable to Mr. Brown during the period from 1850 to 1854. At the same time he engaged in the hotel business in Council Bluffs, being for some time a half partner in the Bluff City House.

The beautiful and commanding posi- tion of the future site of Omaha, particu- larly the plateau with the hills in the background, impressed Mr. Brown with the belief that it would be a fine location for a town, which some day might develop into a large and pros- perous city. The tide of travel was westward, and this point was the head of navigation at that time. He had frequently been over the ground and had made careful observations. Other residents of Council Bluffs had also visited the spot,; and coincided with Mr. Brown's views as to its being a splendid site for a town. He suggested to some of his friends an enterprise of this character, and finally Dr. Enos Lowe, Jesse Lowe, Jesse Williams and Joseph H. D. Street,

D. JONES, THE FIRST POSTMASTER OF OMAHA.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

all of Council Bluffs, took the matter under careful consideration. The first result was that on July 23, 1S53, "The Council Bluffs and Nebraska Steam Ferry Company" was organized, with L'r. Enos Lowe president. The other members were Tootle & Jackson, S. S. Bayliss, Joseph H. D. Street, Bernhart Henn, Jesse Williams, Samuel R. Curtis, Tanner & Downs, and William D. Brown. Their intention was to secure the town site as soon as Nebraska was admitted as a Territory. This occurred May 23, 1854, when Congress passed the Kansas- Nebraska bill, after a fierce and angry struggle, the circumstances of which form a prominent chapter in the history of our country.

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JLIMPSES OF OMAHA-

Mr. A. D. Jones, Thomas Allen and William Allen were among those who in the fall of 1S53 crossed the river from Council Bluffs to secure claims. Each located a claim according to squatter laws in the vicinity of the present home of Herman Kountze. These are main- tained by Mr. Jones to have been the pioneer squatter claims. Others followed, but the squatters were all notified by Mr. Hepner, the Indian agent, that they must abandon the ground as the Indian title had not yet been extinguished. This order was obeyed, and the squatters returned to Council Bluffs to await the proper time for locating on the Nebraska side of the river.

In the month of February, 1S54, Major Gatewood, Indian agent for the tribes in this vicinity, held a council with the Otoes, the Missouris, and the Omahas, at Bellevue, and the result was that they agreed to unite in a treaty by which they would yield up the title to their lands for a fair consideration. The terms of the treaty with each tribe were liberal and

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

satisfactory, and the tribes signed the documents during the months of March and April. They were then removed to the reservation provided for them.

The City Surveyed and Platted. The Indian title to the land being extinguished, and the territorial organic act having been passed, the time had now come for the ferry company to carry out their proposed plan of founding a city. The company accordingly employed Mr. A. D. Jones, who was a surveyor,

[Jesse Lowe was born in Raleigh, Rowan county, North Carolina, March ii, 1814. Soon afterward his parents removed to the then territory of Indiana, and settled in Monroe county, near Bloomington. As a boy Mr. Lowe's experience was that usual to boys on a farm in a newly settled country, but later he succeeded in obtaining a fair education at Bloomington College, Indiana. He then entered the law office of Gen. Tilghman Howard of that State (who was a gentleman of distinction in those days, and had

represented our government in Spain), and studied law, but did not then seek ad- mission to the bar. His dis- position craved change and outdoor occupation, rendered necessary in part by ill health, and he spent some years in traveling through the South, being often in Memphis, New Orleans, etc., and to a con- siderable extent engaged in purchasing stock for the army. At the breaking out of the Mexican war, being in Mis- souri, he entered a regiment raised by Sterling Price, as Commissary. He was after- ward promoted to Paymaster, and served until the war closed.

His elder brother, Dr. Enos Lowe, having removed to Burlington, Iowa, in 1S37, was at the close of the war Receiver of Public Moneys at Iowa City, and Jesse joined him there ; and when in 1853 the doctor was made Receiver at Kanesville (now Council -----

Bluffs), his brother accom- panied him to the new sta- tion, assisted in the duties of the Government, the city was surveyed, platted.

the office, and was the mes- senger to carry the public funds to Iowa City for deposit. At this time Nebraska be- longed to the Pawnees, Omahas and other Indian tribes, and Jesse Lowe, look- ing across the river one day, pointed to the present site of Omaha and said to his com- panions: " There is the place for a great city, and in time there will be one there. Why should we not begin it ?" His friends assented, and on July 3, 1853, they crossed the river in a skiff, Jesse Lowe and Jesse Williams having to wade part of the way, and located their claims. Jesse Lowe took up a quarter-sec- tion ol land about the western end of Cuming street (to which he subsequently added 5 by purchase three other quar- ;'■ ter-scctions, making in all 640 acres), and within a week had a man with a mule team at work upon his " Ranche," which he subsequently called Oak Grove Farm. In 1854, the Indian title to the land having been extinguished by d fairly begun, the name of its former Indian owners being given to it by Mr.

THE LA-fE JESSE

l.OWE.

Lowe, and a "claim club" was organized May 28, of which Mr. Lowe was a member. This club built a small house on wheels, which was moved from one claim to another, and served as the home of each claimant in turn during the necessary periods of personal occupancy required by law. The old "claim house ' found its last resting place on Ninth street, and is now the flat-roofed portion of the one-story house, 413 South Ninth street, across the alley on the south side of the Cozzens Hotel. At the time Mr. Lowe settled in Omaha he had, as a result of his former business enterprises and savings, what were considerable means for those days, and he established himself in the real estate business, which he continued until his death. He had also the exclusive privilege of trading with the Indian tribes at the adjacent agency. When the Territory was organized he was admitted to the bar, but never practiced. He built the first banking house (altnost the first brick building in Omaha), which, after years of occupancy by different private banking firms, became the United States National Bank, and was early in 18S7 torn down to give place to a fine modern building of stone. In 1857, the city having obtained a charter, Mr. Lowe was elected its first mayor, and J. M. WooUvorth was the first city attorney. The parents of Mr. Lowe being strict " Friends," or Quakers, his early training in the principles of that sect shaped and governed his whole life, although in his later years he became a member of the Luther.au church. He was an excellent financier, of sound judgment, ready at all times to aid in anything calculated to promote the advancement of Omaha, and enjoyed to the last the unqualified respect and confidence of his fellow citizens. He died .-Vpril 3, 186S.]

to survey the site, covering the claims of the company. Mr. Jones spent the greater i)ortion of the month of June and a part of July in this work, in which he was assisted by Mr. C. H. Downs, who carried the chain and drove the stakes. The city was laid out in 322 blocks, each 264 feet square. The streets were made lOO feet wide, except Capitol avenue, which

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

was given a width of 120 feet, but having no alley in the blocks on each side of it. The lots were staked out 66 by 132 feet. Two squares were reserved — Jefferson Square, 264 by 280 feet, and Capitol Square, on Capitol Hill, 600 feet square. A park of seven blocks, bounded by Eighth and Ninth and Jackson and Davenport streets, was laid out, but was afterwards given up to business purposes, being now occupied by the Union Pacific headquarters, the Canfield House, the Cozzens House, and other buildings. During the latter part of the survey

the Fourth of July was r ' . \ ^ celebrated by a picnic on

Capitol Hill by a part}' of Council Bluffs people, among whom were quite a number who became the first settlers of Omaha — Hadley D. Johnson, A. D. Jones and wife, A. J. Hans- comb and wife, Wm. D. Brown and wife, Harrison Johnson, Mr. Seely and wife, Thomas Davis and wife and children, Fred.

Da\ 1^ and sister, who is

now Mrs. Herman Kountze,

and several others. The

map of the survey wis

lithographed in St. Louis

Mr. Byron Reed has one ot

the original copies in his

possession. The f e r r )

compan)' gave the name

of Omaha to the new

town. The name was

taken from the nearest tribe of Indians in the vicinity, the Omahas. It is claimed that the

honor of suggesting the name belongs to Jesse Lowe, long since dead. The meaning of the

word, as given by Rev. William Hamilton, for many years an Indian missionary at Bellevue,

is, " Above all others on a stream." According to an old tradition, the Omahas took their

name from an incident which occurred a great many years ago. As the story goes, two tribes

of Indians met on the Missouri river and engaged in battle, in which all on one side were

slain except one, who jumped into the river and swam under water for some little distance.

Upon coming to the surface he exclaimed, "Omaha!" This word had never been heard before

by the survivors of the battle, and to commemorate their great victory they at once adopted

it as the name of their tribe.

DMaba ILLV^fkAfkb.

The survey having been completed the ferry company took immediate steps to erect buildings. A brickyard was started for the company by Benjamin Winchester, of Kanesville, for the purpose of making the brick for the proposed State House, as the proprietors of the town site were confident that Omaha would be selected as the Territorial Capital by the first

[Milton Rogers was born in Harford county, Maryland, June 22, 1822. When but a year old his parents emigrated to Columbiana county, Ohio, where his boyhood was spent in farm work, his education being only such as could be obtained in the log school houses of those early days. At the age of 18 he left the farm and went to New Lisbon, Ohio, to learn the tin and coppersmith trade. When his four years of apprenticeship ended, he left Ohio for the West, and for about six years he tried his fortune in small

business enterprises in Indi- ana, Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, finally locating at Kanesville (now Council Bluffs), in the latter State, in August, 1850, where he started the tinware and stove business. The rude beginnings of those days, architecturally, form a strong contrast with the present. Mr. Rogere' store was built of cotton- wood logs, with a "pun- cheon " floor of hewn logs, and window sash made by hand from basswood rails. In 1854 a town was lo- cated on the west side of the Missouri river, oppo- site Kanesville ; it was sur- veyed, platted, and, accord- ing to Western custom, was called a city — Omaha City — before a house was built. In June of the next year, 1855, Mr. Rogers cast in his fortunes with Omaha by slatting here a branch of his tinware and stove busi- ness, again in a Cottonwood building. His purchase of 66x132 feet on lower Farn-

MILTON ROGERS.

am street, for $150, would doubtless now be valued at nearly as nrany thousand dollars. After a time he sold 44 feet of his ground for the same price that he had given for the whole, showing that real estate in Omaha began to " ad- vance " about as soon as it was changed from acres to lots. On this lot now stands the fine building of the Bee Publishing Company. In January, 1862, Mr. Rogers bought 22x132 feet on the corner of Farnam and Fourteenth streets, for $1,150, and built a one- story frame building, cov- ering the lot, which loca- tion has ever since remained his business home, he hav- ing removed from Council Bluffs in 1 86 1. Later, he joined with other property owners in building a three- story brick block, extend- ing to Thirteenth street, and occupied his new store in January, 1868. In March, 1S81, the building adjoining him was nearly destroyed

by fire, and he bought the remains and the 22 feet of ground for $19,500, rebuilt and made of the two one store. Thus another great advance in property was marked. In 1880 and in 1884, respectively, Mr. Rogers associated with him his two sons, and the business of the firm is now the most extensive in its line west of Chicago, as it is the oldest business house in Omaha or Nebraska. During his thirty-two years' residence in Omaha, Mr. Rogers has been interested in many of the enterprises which have contributed to or marked the city's progress. Besides taking stock in the Grand Central Hotel — the ill-fated predecessor of the Paxton Hotel, he gave $2,500 to the building fund. He was one of the original promoters of the City Water Works, and vice-president of the company from 1880 to 18S6. He was also one of the original stockholders in the South Omaha Stock Yards, which have contributed 10 much to the growth and prosperity of the city, and he was one of the original parties to the South Omaha Land Syndicate, and is yet interested in it. Mr. Rogers has never held a public office in Omaha, his tastes and inclinations being always averse to public life, although frequently solicited by his fellow-citizens to take part in the direction of city affairs.]

Legislature. Winchester, however, soon failed in his enterprise, and the brick had to be hauled from Council Bluffs.

On July II, 1854, Mr. and Mrs. Newell came over from Council Bluffs. Mr. Newell was engaged to work in the brick yard, and his wife to cook for the laborers. William P. Snowden and wife, also from Council Bluffs, landed in Omaha on the same day. Mr. and Mrs. Newell remained only three weeks. Mr. and Mrs. Snowden are still living in Omaha, and can justly claim the honor of being the first actual settlers. Cam Reeves and family came next, then P. G. Peterson, Mr. and Mrs. Bedell and others followed quite rapidly. Many of the old settlers, however, did not locate permanently until late in the fall of 1855, as they had to provide accommodations for their families before bringing them over from Council Bluffs.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

The first house built in Omaha was a small, rough log structure, constructed for the ferry company. It was located in the vicinity of Twelfth and Jackson streets, and was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Snowden, who kept it as a boarding house during the summer and fall of 1854 for the ferry company's employes. It was given the name of the St. Nicholas Hotel, but was generally known as the "Claim House." It was in this building that the first religious services were held in Omaha, Sunday, August 13th, 1854, by Rev. Peter Cooper, of Council Bluffs. The second house was built by Mr. Gaylord, at Burt and Twenty-second streets ; the third was the "Big 6," a sod house, occupied as a grocery and saloon, north side of Chicago street, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth. Mr. Snowden built the fourth house, a log cabin, on a lot given

DOUGLAS COUNTY COl'KT HOUSE.

to him by the ferry company. It was on Tenth street, just south of Turner Hall. It was the first private dwelling house that was completed, and Mr. and Mrs. Snowden moved into it after having kept the St. Nicholas for three months. The event was celebrated with a " house- warming," and the first dance in Omaha was given on this occasion. The first brick structure was the State House, on the west side of Ninth street, between Farnam and Douglas. Mar- garet Ferry, born in October, 1854, daughter of James Ferry, who laid the first stone for the State House, was the first white child. This honor, however, is disputed by the friends of William Nebraska Reeves, who was born about the same time. John Logan and Miss Caroline Mosier were the first persons to form a matrimonial alliance. Mr. and Mrs. Logan still live in Omaha. William P. Snowden dug the first grave. It was for an old Otoe squaw, who had been deserted by her people. The first burial among the whites was that

bUAkA tLL'USTRATElb:

of M. C. Gaylord's child. Dr. George L. Miller was Omaha's first physician. He came iiefS in the fall of 1S54 from S}'racuse, N. Y., accompanied by his father, Col. Loren Miller, who is now 88 years of age. The first practicing lawyers were A. J. Poppleton and O. D. Rich-

[Hon. James E. Boyd, who lakes pride in the fact that he is one of the self-made men of Omalia, is a native of Ireland. He was born in County Tyrone, September 9, 1834, and came to America when he was ten years old, locating in Belmont county, Ohio, In 1S47 he went with his father to Zanesville, where he lived until 1S56. In August, of that year, he and his brother, John M., came to Omaha, and engaged in the carpenter and joiner business until the panic of 1857. John M. Boyd went to St. Joseph, Mo., in the spring of 185S, while James E. Boyd remained in Omaha and worked at his trade. On the 22d of August, 1858, he was married, at Omaha, to Anna H. Henry, a native of Hamilton, Madison county, N. J. About this time Mr. Boyd went to Wood River, near the present town of Gibbon, Neb., and established a stock farm, remaining there nine years. During a portion of this period he was also engaged in merchandising at Kearney City, two miles west of Fort Kearney. In lS65 he secured a grading contract on the Union Pacific and graded over three hundred miles in about three years. In February, 1868, he returned to Omaha and invested more heavily than any other man member of the Chicago

Board of Trade and also of the New York Stock Ex- change. He is also the owner of a large cattle herd, his ranch being

in the gas	works.	f whicl
he was ont	of tlie ,	rincipa
promoters,	and dun	igiSoS
69 he was	manage	■ of the

company. In the winter of 1S69 70 he organized the Omaha & Northwestern railroad. He was electeil its first president and built the road to Blair. During this period he was largely interested in the cattle business, his ranch being located near Ogallalla. In 1872 he disposed of his cattle interests and engaged in pork packing in Omaha on a small scale. The first year he killed only 4,500 hogs, but with each year his business increased until in 1886 he killed 141,000 hogs. He continued the packing business until the summer of 18S7, when he sold his establishment. Although having retired from the pork-p a c k i n g business, he is still actively engaged ill other pursuits. He is a partner in the Chica go commission firm of Boyd, Paxton & Boyd, and is a in 1867. He was also County Clerk

\\\	.Muiiig.	The	Bovd
"I"'	a house,	one	of the
	l^.iincst th	calcrs	in the
Wc.	I, 1, hisp	J|HTt	. He
fall	jf iSSo, a.	d 0.,	in the iple.cd
it in	the fall 0	I.SSI	The
cost	of the ope	■a house was
ove	$110,000,	and i	s open-
ins.	which occ	urrct	Octo-
bcr	24, iSS[,	vas q	lile an
	t in the	hist	uv of
Om	aha. Ml	. Bo	il, on
that	occasion,	recei	ed the
higl	est com pi i	nenls	for his
pub	ic spirit i	1 pr	.viding
tl-c			such a
bea	tiful phic	of	amuse-

:h Den

lid ha

take

E. BOYD.

part in Nebraska politics. In 1S57 he was elected Clerk of Douglas county. While residing in Buffalo county he was elected to the first State Legislature, county, but resigned. He was elected on a non-partisan ticket to both the Nebraska State Constitutional conventions. Mr. Boyd served as Mayor of Omaha for two terms, from 18S1 to 1083 and from 1885 to 1887, being elected each time by a very large majority. He proved an efficient and faithful executive, and during his administration were inaugurated all the public improvements that have done so much to bring Omaha up to the rank of a metropolitan city. In the senatorial campaign of 1S83 Mr. Boyd received the vote of the Democratic party for United States Senator against General Manderson. In the last presidential campaign he was a delegate to the convention which nominated Grover Cleveland, for whom he cast his vote. He IS at present a member of the National Democratic Committee. Mr. Boyd was president of the Omaha Board of Trade from 1881 to 1S83. During his residence in Omaha he has taken an active part in nearly every public enterprise, and has always been considered as one of our public spirited citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Boyd have three children living— Eleonora, the wife of United States Marshal Eierbower, and Margaret and James E., Jr.

ardson. Both came here in 1854 from Michigan. The fir.st steam ferry boat was the " General Marion," which superseded Brown's flat boat ferry. Omaha hatl a newspaper very early in her existence. It was called the " ..Yrrow," and was printed in Council Bluffs. J. E. Johnson and J. W. Pattison were the editors and proprietors. There were only twelve issues of the Arrow, covering the period from July 28th to November loth, 1854. Mr. Byron Reed has in his possession the whole series, with the exception of No. 6. Editor Pattisoa

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

was a flowery and enthusiastic writer. In the first issue of the Arrow he wrote a fanciful sketch containing a prediction of Omaha's future. It was entitled " A Night in Our Sanctum," and the following is an extract from it:

"Last night we slept in our sanctum — the starry-decked heaven for a ceiling, and Mother Earth for a flooring. * * » The night stole on, and we in the most comfortable manner in the world — and editors have a faculty of making themselves comfort- able together — crept between art and nature — our blanket and buffalo robe, to sleep and perchance to dream, 'of battles, sieges, fortunes and perils, the imminent breech.* To dreamland we went. The busy huE". of business from factories and the varied branches of mechanism from Omaha reached our ears. The incessant rattle of innumerable drays over the paved streets, the steady tramp of ten thousand of an animated, enterprising population, the hoarse orders fast issued from the crowd of steamers upon the

RESIDENCE OF J. E. BOYD.

levee loading with the rich products of the State oi Ni.braska and unloading the fruits, spices and products ot other climes and soils, greeted our ears. Far away toward the setting sun came telegraphic dispatches of improvements, progress and moral advancement upon the Pacific coast. Cars full freighted with teas, silks, &c., were arriving from thence and passing across the stationary channel of the Missouri river with lightning speed hurrying on to the Atlantic seaboard. The third express train on the Council Bluffs and Galveston railroad came thundering close by us with a shrill whistle that brought us to our feet knife in hands, looking into the dark- ness beyond at the flying trains. They had vanished and the shrill second neigh of our lariated horses gave indication of the danger near. The hum of business, in and around the city, had also vanished and the same rude camp-fires were before us. We slept again and daylight stole upon us, refreshed and ready for another day's labor."

When it is considered that Pattison's "dream" was written in 1854, the prediction is certainly a remarkable one. It has been more than fulfilled by the building of the Union and Central Pacific trans-continental line and more than a dozen other railroads ; in the paving of

DMA II A 1 1. L U S T R A TED

the Streets and in other public improvements ; and in the growth of Omaha to an important and beautiful cit}- and commercial metropolis of about 100,000 inhabitants.

The files of the Arrow furnish many interesting items concerning the first few months of Omaha's existence. In the second number the announcement is made that Rev. Peter Cooper will preach on Sunday, August 13, at the residence of Mr. William P. Snowden. The Arrow

n, Rensselaer count}, New \inV, and ' \oik Ente \oik, and in

[Hon. Charles H. Brown was horn at Steph. Seminary, Massachusetts, and at the Delawaie I itei iiy Institute, Fiankhn, Ni from there in 1858, then studied law with Seymoui lV \ an SanUooid, at Tioj, N bar. On June 18, of the same year, he came to Oma- ha, and later, on account of impaired health, he ciobsed the Plains with a freightnig outfit, driving an ox team to Denver. In this capacity he traveled eighteen bundled miles, gaining, as is so often the case, health and slitngth from the hardships and e\ posures incident to the situa- tion. This expedition led to his cmpliiyment in the con- struction of the Pacific Tele graph, in which arduous and hazardous work he continued until the completion of thL line. Returning to Oimli i in December, 1S61, aftei this second experience of riam^ life, Mr. Brown was not )et • ready to engage in the pi at tice of his profession, but entered the store of his brothers as a clerk, and thus continued employed until Octol^er, 1862, when he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for' Douglas county, to fill a vacancy occasioned by "

the resignation of George HON. fHAKi.i.s 11. I'.KdWX.

I. Gilbert. During his in-

Constitution. In 1876, he was elected to the State .Senate, and re elected in 1S78, and again in iS he has devoted himself to tlie practice of his profession. Thus, for twenty-five years, Mr. Brown sionally and offici.ally, with the great progress of the city of Omaha and the State of Nebraska.]

s prepared for college at Williston ig Williams College, he graduated )6o was admitted to the New York cumbency of this office he secured the conviction of Cyrus Tator, who was the first man legally executed in the Territory of Nebraska. In 1S63, Mr. Brown was re- elected, and in 1864 he was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention, and in the fall of the same year a member of the Legisla- ture. In 1S65, he was elected an alderman of Omaha, and in 1867, its Mayor, being the ninth Chief Magistrate of the cit). At thit time the Mayor was e\ ollicio Judge of the City Cmut, and during his teim of one year. Mayor Blown tiled over four thous- md cases. On entering ■ llice he found the city in dtlit $6o,OQO; on leaving it, thitdel.thidbcen paid, and hue WIS a t ish balance of .i\Li $S,ooo in the treasury. In iSOg Ml Biown received the DemoLiatic vote in the Legislatuie, foi United States Senatoi. In 1S75, he was again a member of a Consti-

aided in forming our present 2. Since the close of his last term as been closely identified, profes-

of September ist confidently declares that Omaha will be the capital of Nebraska. The issue of September 8 notes the town's progress as follows :

"The sound of axe, hammer and other tools are daily heard in and around this eligible city site. Two stores, both doing a good business, are in successful operation, and in a few weeks one of the best steam saw mills in the West will be in full blast by us here. In connection therewith the enterprising company purpose starting a good flouring mill ; the engine ordered for the sawmill will be of sufficient power for both. A good, substantial hotel will soon be ready for the reception of visitors and boarders. The work on the other prominent buildings is progressing rapidly. It really does one's heart good to see the young American progress and go-a-headitiveness which characterize Omaha City."

The same paper says :

" Some ten or twelve buildings are going up in Omaha City next week. Hurrah ! for the inarch of with this glorious country. But we need mechanics prodigiously to push along with railroad speed."

ion is playing wild

T. Jefferys & Co. announce that "their steam saw mill, two and a half iniles from the city, is now in successful operation." The Arrow of September 29 convej-s the information that M. W. Robinson has put on a tri-weekly line of stages between Council Bluffs and

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

Omaha; and also that "persons may receive the Omaha City mail matter for the present from the P. M., A. D. Jones, at ]\Ir. Clancy's provision establishment every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, shortly after the arrival of the Council Bluffs and Omaha City stage."

Mr. Jones was Omaha's first Postmaster, and for some time carried the postoffice in his hat. He had in the winter of 1853-54 received a commission as Postma.ster, through the

assistance of J. D. Test, of Council Bluffs, who applied to Congressman Bcrnhart Henn for the establishment of the Omaha office and the appointment of Mr. Junes. The first letter ever received direct in Omaha b)^ mail was one from Mr. Henn to Mr. Jones relating to a proposed in- dependent mail route be- tA\t(.n Council Bluffs and

[J. II. M'Coniiell came to Om.i ha in iShS, ami entered the service of the Union Pacilic Railway Company as general Foreman of the Omaha shops, where he continued until 1872, when he was sent by th North Platte as Division Master Me- chanic. He remained in clmrge of that Division until June, 1SS5, when he was recalled to Omaha and placed in charge of the Nebraska Division of the road. In April, 1886, he resigned his position to take an inter- est in the A. L. Strang Company, of which he is now the Secretary.]

Omaha. This letter was dated Washington, May 6, 1S54, the same date on M'hich the office was established, and Mr. Jones was made Postmaster. The letter was as follows :

Wasuin'-.ton, Mav 6, 1854. A. D. Jones, Omaha City, Nebraska Ter.

Dear Sir: Yours of the 15th instant has been received, but as the post route bill has already received final action I cannot carry out your suggestion as to the route from Council Bluffs to Omaha City this session. Perhaps, however, it is not necessary, as it is already covered by the route I had established, last Congress, from Council Bluffs to Fort Laramie, and although said route has not been let, you may get that part put in operation by petitioning the department to do so ; which course I would suggest be adopted at once. If you do so, send me the petition directed to Fairfield and I will forward them.

Yours truly,

Beknhart Henn.

"The new and excellent steain saw inill of Sainucl S. Bayliss & Co., will be in opera- tion in a very short time," says the Arrow of September 29, from which we also learn that

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

"the foundation for the new State House will be completed in a few days," and that "the new brick hotel will also be finished as fast as brick can be put together ; other buildings are progressing finely ; two or three fine brick houses will ere long be started."

The Arrow of October 6 announces the arrival of Hon. T. B. Cuming, Secretary of the Territory. Governor Francis H. Burt reached Bellevue the same day, in a feeble condi-

[Hon. John I. Radick has been a resident of Omaha since 1856. He was the son of a farmer, and Avas born July 29, 1S28, at Wooster, Ohio. His first education was received from Prof. Parrott, of his native town, who instructed him for two years. In his twenty- first year he entered Delaware College, at Delaware, Ohio. He remained in that institution two years. This completed his education. His father, through an unfortunate speculation, had lost all his property, and being a poor man he was unaljle to aid

Omaha. Mr. Redick soon obtained a lucrative law jnactice, and in 1859 formed

his ambitious son. The instruction received by young Redick in Delaware College was paid for with money which he borrowed from friends upon condition that he should repay it when he became able. They had every conliilence in his integrity and ability, and as subsequent events provrtl, they were not in the least d i s a p 15 o i n t e d. Having decided to enter the legal professsion he read law, dur- ing a portion of his last col- lege year, under the instruc- tion of Eugene Pardee, a Wooster lawyer, and Hon. William Ciivcn, one of the most able lawyers in Ohio at that time. He was admitted to practice in 1852, and located at Lansing, the capital of Michigan. He found the legal practice there rather dull, and there- upon engaged in the real estate business, which proved quite remunerative. Meantime he had married Mary E. Higby, of Pitts- burg, Pa., and in the fall of 1856 he removed to braska delegation to theBalt

.-li^W

HON. JOHN

a co-partnership with Clin- ton Eriggs. For ten years thereafter, and until the dissolution of the firm, Redick & Briggs were at the head of the bar and were engaged in nearly cNery important case. Mr. Redick invested largely in I Imaha real estate, the result uf which was a handsome fortune. In 1864 he lost his wife, leaving two sons, iharles R. and William A., who, following in the foot- steps of their father, have adopted the legal profes- sion, in which they have

ccome q u 1

te successful.

In the early days of Ne- i laska Mr. Redick repre- ■ iitcd Douglas county in ' .. Teiiitoiial Legislature, ! alM.ivs took a promi- :,. Ill iiait in politics. Up :-. the time of the Rebellion Ml. Redick was a Demo- crat, but the close of the war found him in the ranks of the Republicans. He was chairman of the Ne- e convention which nominated Lincoln and Johnson. He was als# chairman of tlie Nebraska dele- gation to the Philadelphia convention which nominated Grant for the second term. In 1876 he was appointed by Grant as United States Judge of New Mexico, a position which he resigned after one year's service. Mr. Redick next served as Union Pacific attor- ney at Denver for one year. In 1880, Mr. Redick becoming indignant at the defeat of Grant in the Chicago convention, returned to the Democratic fold. He has done much to advance the material welfare of Omaha, and has contributed in many ways to its growth. He has erected in this city over forty buildings, many of them being handsome, substantial and costly structures. In many of the most important business enterprises he has been a leading spirit. He was one of the seven men who organized and built the Omaha & Northwestern railroad, and was one of the organizers of the Grand Central hotel company. In 1866 Mr. Redick married his second wife, Mary E. May, by which marriage he has five sons. He was one of the prominent and wealthy citizens of Omaha until February, 1887, when he removed with his family to Los Angeles, California, and was elected president of the Southern California National Bank, which position he now holds. All that he is and all that he has is due to his own efforts. He takes great pride in the fact that he is a self-made man.]

tion, having been taken sick on tlie journey. He died on October iSth, and the Arrow of the 20th is draped in mourning and contains a long obituarj' and resolutions. Secretary Cuming at once assumed the reins of government. By virtue of his office he became acting-governor. The Arrow of that date, October 20, contains his proclamation in regard to the governor's death, and also a proclamation ordering the taking of a census. Among other interesting items in this issue is the announcement that "in the late session of the Iowa Con.fercnce, a new

0 MA JI A JLLCSTKA TE D .

district known as the Nebraska and Kansas Missionary district, was established, at present under the Presiding Eldership of Rev. M. F. Shinn, of Council Bluffs City, Iowa, the stations

being Omaha City, old Fort Kearney, Waukaressa and Fort Leavenw orth. Among the distinguished iriuals noticed are those of Bird B. Chapman, 1 ■-q from Loraine county, Ohio, and Dr. G. L. Miller, from b) racust, N. Y. It is stated upon the

authority of Mr. Davis, the con- tractor, that the State House will be completed December ist. J M. Thayer receives a complimen tary notice for the erection of a neat dwelling. " The Fontene House," says the Arrow, "is a large and beautiful brick hotel, now in process of erection at this place It is appropriately named after the head chief of the Omaha Indian tribe."

The first Territorial officers of Nebraska were Francis H. Burt, of

RESIDENCE OF HON. JOHN M. THURSTON.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

South Carolina, Governor ; Thomas B. Cumins^, of Iowa, Secretary ; Fanner Ferguson, of Michi- gan, Chief Justice ; James Bradley, of Indiana, and Edwin R. Hardin, of Georgia, Associate Justices ; Mark W. Izard, of Arkansas, Marshal ; Experience Estabrook, of Wisconsin, Attorney. Governor Burt and Secretary Cuming arrived at Bellevue on October 6, 1854. The other officers came at different times during the following few months. Governor Burt had been taken

[The late Judge Clinton Eriggs was born in Washtenaw county, Michigan, September 9, 1828, and studied law with I.athrop & Duffield at Detroit, the senior member of which firm is now the United States Minister to Russia. After being admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Michigan, in 1853, he entered the office of the late Wm. H. Seward, at Auburn, N. Y., for a further course of study, and in 1S54 was admitted to practice in the Supreme court of that State. With this professional training he came to Omaha

November 19, 1S55, and at once entered into practice. In 1857 he was elected County Judge for two years. Before his term expired he was elected to the Territorial Legislature, and assisted laigely in framing the present Code of Civil Pro- cedure of the State. At the expiration of his judicial term in 1859, .T"Jge Eiiggs resumed his law practice, forming a partnership with Hon. John I. Redick, and for ten yeais thereafter, and until its disso lution, the firm of Redick ir Briggs stood at the head of th Omaha bar, and repiesem 1 one side of every impoii 1 i case. In 1S60, Judge I i._ • was elected the fouilh Mu of Omaha, his term being 1 tinguished by the compkti of telegraphic connection 1 tween Omaha and the Atlant ^ at New York, and the Pacific at San Francisco, via Salt Lake, and he sent the fiist congratulatory messages to those cities. After his term of Mayor expired, and up to 187 1, Judge Briggs was wholly do Terriloiies. The Ju.lge aided in pnmi construcli.iu of the ( imaha & Soulhwe whicu ..LiuirL-d l)Lcaiil)Lr 16, 1S82.

^r<^

rious public Iroad. He %\

voted to his profession, but his health becoming impaired in the latter year, he withdrew from general practice and con- fined himself to few, and only important cases. In 1875 he was a member of the Constitu tional Convention which framed the present State Con stitution. In 1877 he came within a few votes of receiving the Republican nomination for United States Senator, his can- ilichcy being urged by his liiLuds m lecognition of his

I 114, peisistent and sucessful til Its to compel the two lead-

II .; lailioadb of Nebraska to ] n ta\Ls on their immense hn 1 flints, and also of the ji ■inuKiil position taken by the Judge m the Constitutional Con\ention on all questions as a lepiesentatne of tlie people's inteiests. In the hope of re- gaining health Judge Briggs went to Europe in 187S, and traveled extensively there with much benefit, but qji his return

'"■" " his ill health still continuing,

he traveled much in California

and the western States and

rprises in the interests of the city and State, among which was the

.till engaged in some important law c.-ises at the time of his death,

ill ..n th. Bellevue. which at

journey from South Carolina, and he grew worse from day to day after b

He died on the iSth of October, 1S54, at the old Presb)-terian missi(

that tiine was in charge of Rev. William J. Hainilton. By virtue of

eached

house,

office

Secretary Cuming became acting-governor and at once entered upon the discharge of his duties. On the 21st of October he issued a proclamation ordering the taking of a census. The work began on the 24th and was coinpletcd within four weeks. This census, which was taken in rather an infonnal manner, gave the population of the Territory as 2,732, excluding the Indians of course. Upon the completion of the census Governor Cuming called an elec- tion to take place on December 12th. At that election members of the Legislature and a delegate to Congress were elected. Napoleon B. Gidding, who was elected to Congress, received 377 votes, Hadley D. Johnson 266, Bird B. Chapman 114, Joseph Dyson 23, and Abner W. Hollister 14. Dougla.s county, which was then composed of Omaha City precinct and Bclicvue precinct, cast a total vote of 203, of which Hadley D. Johnson received 198 and Bird B. Chapman 5.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

Governor Cuming designated Omaha as the place for the first meeting of the Legisla- ture, notwithstanding the opposition of several other towns, prominent among which was Bellevue. The governor ^^f course incurred the enmity of all other aspirants for the capital. The Legislature convened at Omaha January i6, 1854, in the State House which had been built . by the ferry company. The first Legislature was composed as follows:

Council. — J. L. Sharp, Richardson county, president ; Dr. G. L. ]\Iiller, Omaha, chief clerk ; O. F. Lake, Bi'ownville, assistant clerk ; S. A. Lewis, Omaha, sergeant-at-arms ; N. R.

Folsom, Tekamah, door-keeper; B. R. Folsom, Burt county; J. C. Mitchell, Washington count}-; M. H. Clark, Dodge county; T. G. Goodwill, A. D. Jones, O. D. Richardson, S. E. Rogers. Douglas county ; Luke Nuckolls, Cass county ; A. H. Bradford, H. P. Bennett, C. H. Cowles, Pierce, now Otoe county ; Richard Brown, Forne\', now Nemaha county.

House. — A. J. Hanscom, Omaha, speaker; J. \V. Paddock, Omaha, chief clerk; G. L. Eayre, Glenwood, Iowa, assistant clerk; J. L. Gibbs, Nebraska City, sergeant-at-arms; B. B. Thompson. Omaha, door-keeper; W. N. Byers, William Clancy, F. Davidson, Thomas Davis, A. D. Goycr, A. J. Poppleton, Robert Whitted, Douglas county; J. B. Robertson, A. C. Purple, Burt county; A. Archer, A. J. Smith, Washington county; E. R. Doyle, J. W. Richardson, Dodge cnrnty; J. M. Latham, William Kempton, J. D. H. Thompson, Cass county; G. Bennett, J. H. Cowles, W. H. Hail, J. H. Decker, William IMaddo.x, Pierce, now Otoe county ; W. A. Finney, J. U. Wood, Forney, now Nemaha count\- ; D. M. Johnson, J. A. Singleton, Richardson county.

The permanent location of the capital was the most important business before the Legis-

OMAHA JLLUSTKATED.

lature, and of course a bitter fight ensued. The contestants for the capital were Omaha, Fontenclle, Florence, Bellevue, Plattsmouth, Nebraska City, and Brownville. All the South Platte towns were opposed to Omaha, and it will therefore be se^i that she had great odds to fight against. However, by shrewd strategy and placing where it would do the most good large blocks of town lot stock in " Scriptown," — an addition laid out for this very purpose —

[Champion S. Chase was bom in the town of Cornish, He received a liberal education at the Kimball Union Institi life as a teacher in the academy at Amsterdam, N, Y. Later in 1S47. Removing to the West, he opened a law ofiicc al 1- cessful practice until he en-

New Hampshire, and in his boyhood worked upon his father's farm. te, Meriden, N. H., and at the age of twenty-one commenced business he studied law at Buffalo and was admitted to the bar at Canandaigua, icine, Vv'is., about the first of May, 1S48, and continued there in suc- District of the State. In

^

%>.

■\fi.

tered the army in 1862. In 1857 he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States, on motion of Daniel Web- ster. Two years later the Governor of Wisconsin com- missioned him as Brigadier General of the State militia. In the same year he was elected to the Board of Edu- cation of the city of Kacine and became its president. In 1856 he was a delegate to the first National Republi- can convention at Philadel- phia, and assisted in the nomination of Gen. John C. Fremont. In the same year he was elected to the State Senate and served two iLinix, during the first tcini 1 1114 chairman of the C<'iiiiiiill <_ on Corporations, and in the second, of the Judicial y Com- mittee; and in the latter ca- pacity, in 1858, he super- vised the revision of the State statutes. In 1859 he was elected Prosecuting At- torney of the First Judicial

a term of one year, and in 1S75, by an overwhelming majority making him Centennial Mayor. In 1879 he was elected Ma)

1862, upon the recommend- ation of Salmon P. Chase, rrcsidtnt Lincoln appointed liim Paymaster of Volun- teers, with rank of Major. Ill 1S65 he served in the Gulf campaign and was pro- moted to be Lieutenant Col- onel. In 1866 he was hon- orably mustered out, his last year of service being on the Rio Grande. On leav- ing the army Col. Chase came to Omaha and resumed the pr.ictice of his profession. In 1S67 he was appointed Attorney General for the Stale, an office which he l.lk.l fu, two years with gn..U ability In the same jL-ir he was ek-"tcd one of the boaid of istees of liimncU Hall, young

1 I Uls' institute o. ."Imaha, ^^hldl position he has filled OLi since. In 18(59 he "^v^s appointed by the Governor one of the regents of the _ State University for six

' years. In 1S74 he was

COL. CHAMPION S. CHASE. 1 , j Af c rs 1 r

elected Mayor of Omaha for

as re-elected for two years (the term of office having been extended), for the third time, and again in 1883 for the fourth time. In 1881,

by authority of the Council, he compiled the ordinances of the city. In 1S86 he was unanimously chosen president of the Nebraska State Humane Society, which position he now holds. He has also for many years been a prominent member of the Omaha Board of Trade, and during the last few years has, as a delegate, represented the State and the Board in five National Missouri River Improvement conventions. Of Col. Chase's speeches in these conventions, perhaps the most notable was the one made at St. Paul, and afterward published in pamphlet form, entitled, "Corn is King in Nebraska." Throughout his public career Col. Chase has been conspicuous for his untiring energy, his faithful and fearless performance of duty, his devotion to the interests of his constituents and his adherence to his friends. As a public speaker, impromptu or otherwise, he has few equals in the State, and many of his addresses and orations have been published in various forms. lie has been a lifelong friend of the oppressed, and his humane sympathies and charitable disposition peculiarly fit him for his position as president of the State Humane Society. As Mayor, Col. Chase was, from the first, in favor of the most extensive range of public improvements which the financial condition of the city would allow, and during his Centennial term he projected and recommended to the city council, in one of his messages, the establishment of a system of parks and boulevards substantially on the same plan and along the same routes as those most talked of and desired today, by the public spirited citizens of Omaha.

the OiTiaha lobbyists secured enough votes to capture the capital. The joint resolution designat- ing Omaha as the capital of the Territory was passed February 22, 1855. James C. Mitchell, of Florence, who had been exceedingly hostile towards Oinaha, was induced to change front by a liberal gift of town lots. It was considered a cheap investment, as upon his vote the whole matter depended. Immediately after the passage of the resolution, Mr. Mitchell was appointed

G MA HA /LLC S r R A TE D.

sole commissioner to locate the capitol building. He finally made the location on Capitol Hill, the site being now occupied by the high school building. The following summer Mr. Mitchell sold at auction sixty lots in Omaha for about $6o each. Througli the capital fight Omaha's

interests were champi- oned in the Council 1)\- O. D. Richardson ami T. G. Goodwill, and in tlic House by A. J. Popplc- ton and A. J. Hansconi. Many exciting scenes occurred during t li e capital fight. Dr. Miller described the scenes ..f those early legislative da\-s in an article in the Omaha Herald, of which the following is an extract

H.1

lied the art of wmkmg to itb liisjhest perfection in those ila)-.. Tlie latter was ahvay;. fiist icl- ognized by Speaker ILiiisonn when he wanted the flooi . '1 lie Speaker was particular abuiit keeping order. Any refr.ictory member o|jposed to Omaha who

In January, 1855, U. S. caused by the death of

refused to take his seat when or- dered to, was emphatically noti- fied that if he didn't sit down he would get knocked down. The result was usually satisfactory to the Speaker. The excitement over the capitol question was, at times, very great. The lobbies, we remember, were once crowd- ed with the respective parties to the contest, armed with bludg- eons, brick-bats and pistols. A fight was thought to be immi- nent, but it did not occur.

The capital question aving been settled, the remainder of the session of the Legislature was devoted to the organ- ization of counties, the cation of county scats, the granting of ferry and toll-bridge privi- leges, and the passage of a complete code of

THE L.VrE SENATOR F. W. HUeUCOCK. , r 1

laws for the territory. Marshal, Mark W. Izard, was appointed Governor to fill the vacancy Governor Burt. An executive ball was given in honor of Governor

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

Izard, at the City Hotel, a small frame building, at the northwest corner of Harney and Eleventh streets, the site now being occupied by a large brick block erected by the late

[The Grand Opera House is comparatively a new enterprise. Its management recognized the fact that Omaha needed more than one first-class place of amusement and was quick to seize the opportunity of supplying the want. That no mistake of judgment was made has been evinced from the first. It is one of six houses composing a circuit managed by Mr. L. M. Crawford. Mr. Craw- ford is seconded by J. D. Jones, who is assistant manager of the entire circuit and resident manager of the Grand. The other places represented are Atchison, Leavenworth, Topeka, Wichita and Newton, Kansas. This syndicate arrangement works peculiar advant-

ages both to companies and to the management. The Grand is a remarkable building. As at present constituted, it is an architec- tural triumph. It was remodeled out of the Exposition building with most gratifying results. It is the largest ground floor hall in the West, the seating capacity, 2,486, being easily increased by the use of chairs. The acoustic properties are faultless. The heating is all by steam, and while this obviates much of the usual danger from fire, the numerous exits make anything like a panic impossible. There are no stairs to the main floor. The doors are wide and swing outward. The room could be emptied in a few moments, though densely packed. The stage is much larger than usual, being 56x120 feet. It is thus particularly adapted to use by large troupes, or to such exhibitions as given there by Gilmore's band, and spectacular events. All modern improvements have been introduced. There are twenty sets of scenery, all adapted to current drama and all new. There are numerous dressing rooms and all conveniences for the actors. There are eight tierloges around the balcony and eight ground floor boxes, but every seat in the house is a good one. The fact that the capacity of the ground floor is the greatest of that of any theatre in America is worth mention. In addition to the theatrical features the Exposition hall must be considered. Its seating capacity is 1900. It is suitable for conventions and kindred gatherings. It is also equipped with a stage ample for smaller companies or for amateur performances and for concerts. The Grand is particularly easy to reach. At the corner of Fifteenth street and Capitol avenue, with the main entrance on Fifteenth, it is passed by street cars from all parts of the city and also by the cars of the new Motor line. The entrance to the Exposition hall is on Fourteenth street. Like the Grand, this hall is free from all danger by fire and is in popular favor. It is safe, convenient and comfortable. The management of the Grand has made, from the start, an endeavor to present the best of attractions and has been markedly successful. Nothing is admitted to the house which would not be welcomed in the most exclusive opera house in the land. Mr. Crawford has been remarkably successful in all his theatrical ventures and has had large experience. This new theater is owned by the old Exposition stockholders, and is under the supervision and control of a directory composed of some of the leading citizens of this city.]

OMA II A IL L US TRA TED,

Ezra Millard. This was the first and only executive ball ever given in Omaha, and it was a great social event in those days. The room in which the. dance took place was unfin-

Rough cotton-wood benches were used

■thing else corresponded.

The music was furnished by a solitary fiddler. Altogether, it was a very primitive affair. The following description of the executive ball is from the pen of Dr. Miller :

" Governor Izard was the guest of nine ladies who were all that could be mustered even for a state occasion in Omaha. They were Mrs. T. B. Cuming, Mrs. Fenner Ferguson, Mrs. Sterling Morton, Mrs. C. B. Smith, Mrs. Fleming Davidson, Mrs. A. J. Hanscom, Mrs. A. D. Jones, Mrs. S. E. Rogers, and Mrs. G. L. Miller. Two of the ladies could not dance, so their places were supplied by the same number of gentlemen. » * * Messrs. Paddock, Poppleton, Cuming, Smith, Morton, Ferguson,

Goodwill, Clancy and Folsom, besides a large assemblage of legislators, attended. « * « The dance opened. It was a gay and festive occasion. Notwithstanding the energetic use of green cottonwood, the floor continued icy. During the dancing several accidents happened. One lady, now well known in Nebraska, fell flat. Others did likewise. The supper came off about midnight and consisted of coffee with brown sugar and no milk, sandwiches of peculiar size, dried apple pie. The sandwiches, we may observe, were very thick, and were made of a singvilar mixture of bread of radical complexion and bacon. The Governor, having long lived in ah.)l climate, stood around shivering in the cold, but buoyed up by the honors thus showered upon him, bore himself with the most amiable fortitude."

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

One of the most sensational incidents of the early days was the killing of George Hollister by Dr. Charles A. Henry. The two men became involved in a dispute at Belle- vue about a boundary line between two tracts of land, and the result was that Henry shot Hollister. This occurred April 20, 1855. Henry was arrested and brought to Omaha, where he was imprisoned with shackles and handcuffs in Sheriff Peterson's house. By the

[Dr. James H. Seymour, who came to Omaha in the year 1857, was born in New Hartford, Connecticut, July gth, 1S25. While young, his parents emigrated to Ashtabula county, Ohio, where he obtained his elementary education, and was subsequently a student at the Grand River Institute. In 1846 we find him a young teacher in Columbiana county, before commencing the study of medicine.

The commencement of his professional studies dates back to 1848, when he became a student of Drs. Robertson & Kuhn, then

associated in the practice of among the heterogeneous ele-

medicine in Hanover, Colum- ments in the village of Omaha.

biana county, Ohio. Having - Intense in his anti slavery con- pursued his studies for more victions, he found relaxation than two years, he then at- l^^gfc^^ from professional toil in assist- tended the medical college in jfHEH^HK^ '"^ '° organize the Republican Cleveland, Ohio, for three ses- ^^^^^BBB^-< P^''^'' "^'"^ though at first in a sions, graduating with distin- ^IPRHHIHI^b^ ' minority, his capacity, pluck guished honors, and received J^^^^^^^^^^^^^l "'"^ fidelity in 1859 secured the appointment of resident [ Or ^BE- '^''^ ^ ^^^' ™ '^'^ Territorial physician of the Marine IIos- // JR Legislature from Douglas pital in Cleveland, under Pro- j/ _ HB^ county. Subsequently, till the fessor Ackley. For a young :^t ^jKt ^ti^S^m summer of 1S61, he pursued the physician of culture and of pro- -*4B ^9^ f^mm ^g practice of his profession with fessional pride, to have, at f^ S. great fidelity and was then pre- once, the instruction and asso- i ^ ^Bt vailed upon to accompany the ciation of such a distinguished j ^ ' fl^f Nebraska Cavalry as surgeon surgeon as Prof. Ackley, was a : ' - #** to St. Louis. During his ab- rare boon. In the spring of ! ¥ sence he was elected a second 1854, rich in the garnered e.\- ' , 7 time to the Legislature. Ac- perience of his city residence, ^v^ . j,^^^ cordingly he attended the ses- he was fortunate in forming a ^^k yS^'^^SSfiM^rffflBiW sio'> '" ^^^ winter of 1862.

Lucretia Robertson, daughter ^^^ffil^S^S^^^^^^^^B^ ^1^^^^ journed. Governor Saunders

of his former preceptor, and ^sPHEv^Pvl 4 ^^^^^^ bI^^^^^ tendered him the appointment

then engaged with new incen- ;^||B - t |R ^HJ^JlA ^^B^Bs ^^ Surgeon of the First Ne-

tives in a three years' term of '^B '' ' X ^^^BBt^^^KB^ braska Regiment, then in the

practice in the town of New ^K ^ / f \ -AwM^^sHHlL '^'-''^'' "^'^'^ being accepted he

Lisbon. With the elements of '\ w ^f \ ft ''^SSm^^ followed the fortunes of his

enterprise and hope of greater % -J^^V^ regiment with an unfaltering

success permeating his nature, ' ^'' 'ir step, till overtaken by death,

his face was turned to the then '^^ J in camp, at Helena, Arkansas,

farWest, nor did his pilgrimage the l.\te dr. J.4MES H. sevmour. Sept. 7, 1S62. Never in the

end till he pitched his tent history of the regiment was

there so much heart and soul infused into memorial resolutions, as in his case. One, of a long series, epitomises the sad eulogium in the following words : — " Resolved, that while we mourn deeply the loss of him who, as an oflicer, was so kind, so faithful, and so fearless in the discharge of every duty, we at the same time drop our tears to the memory of those social qualities that rendered him so esteemed by every one of us, and a favorite with all who knew him." Having contracted malaria early in the spring, the sound of the Battle of Pittsburgh Landing, on the Tennessee River, reached him upon his bed of sickness, and he had never ceased lamenting his inability that day to render surgical aid. From a returning attack in the fall he sooi realized that his days were about numbered, and now his controlling desire was to be restored to life for his wife and the education of his children. To secure the presence of his wife, if possible, the Chaplain, now ex-U. S. Senator T. W. Tiptin, was despatched by steamer to telegraph and accompany her. But when they arrived nine days later, he had answered the "last roll call." A day previous, the one on which he died, having called for the likenesses of wife and child and kissed them, he asked for pencil and paper and in a tremulous hand wrote : " Sept. 7, 1862. Dear Wife and Children : I do love you, but shall not see you again. I want to put full trust in God. O ! it is hard. Good bye. James." Educated, virtuous and self reliant, his children have taken their places in society, and his devoted wife incorporated his name with Seymour Addition to the city of Omaha.]

order of Judge Ferguson the prisoner was chained to the floor. The United States grand jury, the first one in the Territory and specially called for this case, failed to indict Henry, but Judge Ferguson re-committed the prisoner and ordered a new jur}'. About this time Dr. Miller was called upon to accompany a flotilla of steamboats up the Missouri river with a large number of soldiers for Fort Pierre, among whom the cholera had broken out. During Dr. Miller's absence, Dr. Henry was the only physician in Omaha, and he was

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

frequently called upon to attend cases in various parts of the city. He was permitted to attend to his patients, but was shackled and accompanied by Sheriff Peterson. It was but

[Boyd's Opera House, substantially and attractively constructed, stands at Fifteenth and Farnam streets in the business heart of the city. It is of brick with stone trimmings. The building was erected in iSSi by the Hon. James E. Boyd, one of Omaha's foremost citizens. He started out with a view to having a model opera house, and succeeded. He placed the matter in the hands of John McElfatrick & Sons, experienced architects, and the result was a safe and comely edifice with every convenience for the public, and every accessory for the comfort of the actor, combined with the most desirable stage effect. There are larger houses of the class in some eastern cities ; there are more showy ones, but for quiet elegance, for neatness devoid of gaudy display, for acoustic properties and general welfare of audience and players, Boyd's Opera House is all that could be desired. The house was

D S OriiR.V HOUSE.

built exclusively for the presentation of the drama and opera and is complete in every particular. It is 77x132 feet m dimensions. The front is go feet in elevation and the rear no. This additional height is for the better working of stage appurtenances. Ihere are 076 grand opera chairs and a gallery capable of seating 690 persons, making a total seating capacity of nearly 1,700. Ihere are six proscenium boxes which are perhaps as elegant in finish as any in America. The proscenium opening is 34 /eet in width. The stage is 50x74 feet. The scenic effects are complete and adapted to the presentation of every style of play. The danger of fire is reduced to a minimum, the building being heated by steam throughout and a complete outfit of fire apparatus on evei;y hand, and at every performance there are two detailed firemen ready for duty in an emergency. The management has no difficulty in securing the best attractions. Omaha is classed as a good " show town," with a population of 100,000, made up mostly of enterprising people of sufficient refinement and culture to patronize Art in all its branches. It is not strange then that such a Thespian temple as Boyd s Opera House should be crowded whenever the merit of the attraction is such as to appeal to a cultivated t.iste. It can be lairly said that no other opera house can present a finer line of attractions. The leading stars on their tours from coast to co.ist always book Omaha, and the patrons of Boyd's see the first talent of the land. The Boyd Opera House was opened October 24, 1881, by the Fay Templeton Opera Company in Mascotte, and since that time it has been running with a success which, always marked, was never more pronounced than at present. Mr. Thomas F. Boyd, a brother of the proprietor, has acted as manager from the first. The present high standing of the house with the public and the theatrical profession testifies to his capabilities. He is assisted by E. E. Whitmore, in the capacity of treasurer. The two, combining experience with a desire to sustain the reputation of the house, and at the same time gratify the public taste, have at all times put forward their best eflforts, and to them must be ascribed a large of the success attained. The central location of the house will be noted by all visitors. Perhaps no other corner in the veil haTe been adapted to theatrical purposes. It is passed by most of the street car lines and is in easy reach of the

Tt :~ .,^* t^« .«..aU ♦«. fni* fV.-,f C\mn\yn Je tv»-/m1/1 rtf "RrtvH'c On*»I*a TTnil'^P.I

leading hotels. It is not too much to say that Omaha is proud of Boyd's Opera House.]

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

natural that Dr. Henry should make many warm friends, and as a result the next grand jury did not indict him. It was maintained that he had acted in self-defense. Tlius was the first murder case in Douglas county disposed of. Dr. Henry became a very prominent and enterprising citizen, and erected the first portion of Pioneer Block, a three-story brick building, in 1856.

[George IngersuU Gilbert, one of the " Seven Gilbert Boys " — sons of Deacon Sime as having passed through the same university, was Ijorn in Pittsford, Rutland county, Ver:

. Gillwrt — who were noted i mt, and graduated at the Ui

Vermont iversity of

Vermont, Burlington, in 1S53. College, Louisiana, which po- sition he filled till 1856, w^hen he resigned. Having studied law he was admitted to the bar in Chicago, 111., in 1857, and the same year came to Oma- ha and entered into practice. In 1858 he was elected City Attorney, Mr. A. J. Popple- ton being Mayor, and during his term of office represented the city at the United States Land Office, in cases involving titles to all the original entries of land within the corporate limits of the city, outside of the Mayor's entry of 320 acres. His official connection with these cases made Mr. Gilbert thoroughly acquainted with the early titles to Omaha real estate, and his later practice has been largely in that direc- tion. In i860 Mr. Gilbert formed a law partnership with Hon. George B. Lake, and in the fall of 1861 was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Douglas county, which posi- tion he resigned in 1S62, and in company with E. B. Chand- ler crossed the Plains. In the fall of that year he was one of and soon afterward resumed his law practice still e.\ists. In 18S7 he was appointed by & charter of Omaha, passed at the last session

Immediately after leaving the university he was appointed Professor of Mathematics in Louisiana

the discoverers of Boise Mines, then in Washington Territory. The following winter the Terri- torial Legislature created a county covering the southern half of what is now Idaho Territory, and in the act named Mr. Gilbert Probate Judge of the new county, in which capacity he held the first legally constituted court in that section of the country. While practicinghis profession there he was largely interested in placer mining, in connec- tion with Mike Murphy, well leniembered by all early set- tleis in Omaha as a brother ol Mis. Cuming, wife of the late Gorernor T. B. Cuming, and of Mr. Frank Murphy, now [iicsident of the Merchants' National Bank of Omaha. In 1867 Mr. Gilbert left the Ter- utory and went to Chicago, where he engaged in the com- mission business as a member of the firm of Gilbert, Wol- cott & Co., in which he was interested until 1873, the firm meantime passing through the great Chicago Fire in 1871. In 1869 he returned to Omaha, In 1S76 he fuimed i piitULibhip with Mr. B. E. B. Kennedy, which association NeinorThayei one of the Fiie and Police Commissioners provided for by the new if the Legislature. Upon this Board of four Commissioners, with the Mayor as a

member, ex-officio, has devolved the 1

i duty of establishing a metropolitan police 1

for the city of Omaha

At the second session of the Legislature, in the winter of 1 85 5 -56, the opponents of Omaha rallied in full force with a determination to remove the capital to Douglas City, a mythical point. The real intention, however, was to remove it to Bellevue. The move- ment included a large number of South Platte men headed by J. Sterling Morton, Colonel Sarpy and Secretary Cuming. The plan, however, was defeated. Another attempt at capi- tal removal was made at the next session, in the winter of 1S56-57. Plouglas City was again to be made the capital. It \\-as to be located about where the present capital, Lincoln, was fixed. Fully two-thirds of the Legislature were pledged against Omaha. The proprietors of the proposed new location had freely distributed their town-site stock ainong the members, and thus got up a strong combination. Isaac L. Gibbs was elected Speaker of the House by the enemies of Omaha. Out of thirty-eight votes Omaha could only rely upon eight. To gain time the Omaha men indulged in the most lengthy dis- cussions on trivial subjects. Most of the talking against time was done by Jonas Seeley

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED

and A. J. Hanscom. Some very stormy scenes ensued. The Speaker at one time ordered the sergeant-at-arms to arrest Hanscom, who defied the officer to carry out the order. It was evident that the arrest could not be made without a serious altercation, and the sergeant-at-arms abandoned the attempt. This was a great victory for the Omaha men, who now became bolder, and made it so disagreeable for the Speaker that rather than occup)- the chair he pretended to be sick, and appointed General Strickland to fill the chair in his absence. Finally, by a judicious use of money, enough votes were secured by Omaha to prevent the passage of the capital removal bill over the Governor's veto. When

RESIDENCE OF H. KOrXTZE.

the fourth Legislature convened in the winter of 1S57-5S the capital removers once more came up smiling, and as usual introduced a bill to locate the capital elsewhere. Mr. Hanscom, although not a member of this Legislature, was called upon to act as the leader of Omaha's defenders. One morning the House went into committee of the whole, and elected as its chairman Dr. Thrall, who thereupon took the Speaker's chair. A great deal of time was taken up in talk, this being a part of the Omaha programme. It was con- tinued until after the Council adjourned. Late in the afternoon a message was received from the clerk of the Council. A question was at once raised under the joint rules that no message could be received by one branch when the other, that sent it, was not in session. Mr. Decker, the Speaker, endeavored during the discussion to take the chair, and announced that the committee of the whole would rise and receive the message from the Council. Hanscom, who had the usual ex-member's privilege of the floor, yelled to Thrall to hit Decker over the head with the gavel. The result was a very lively fight. J. W. Paddock and Michael Murphy, both members of the House, sprang forward to prevent Decker from assaulting Thrall, and during the scuffle Hanscom grabbed Decker by the back of the neck

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED,

and threw him under the table. A general free fight ensued, in which the Omaha men gained a complete victory. The next morning each house passed a resolution adjourning to Florence. Their action, however, was not recognized by the Governor, Hon. W. A. Richard- son, of Quincy, Illinois, who succeeded Governor Izard and arrived here shortly after the adjournment to Florence. This session of the Legislature was held in the territorial capitol building which had been erected on Capitol Hill. The contract was made November 29, 1855, and the building was to have been completed in September 1856. It was not finished, however, until

[The name of Kountze Brothi^rs, bankers, in Omaha, Denver and New York, is well known throughout the country. There are four brothers living — Augustus, Herman, Luther and Charles B. They are the sons of Christian Kountze who, when a young man, emigrated from Saxony, a German province in Europe, to the United States. Two years after his arrival in this country he married Margaret Zerbe, a native of Pennsylvania, and located in Osnaburg, a small village in Stark county, Ohio, where he engaged pursuits, and ten years and remained there

until the fall of 1856, when he left home and came direct to Omaha. The younger brothers followed from time to time until all the sons had taken up their homes either in Nebraska or Colorado. William, the fifth brother, came to Neb- raska in 1858 and died the same year at Dakota City. .■\uguslus and Herman, hav- ing grown up together, have fiom boyhood had many in- terests in common. They have continued the business of buying and selling real estate from the time of com- iiii; West until the present. Ill iheearly days of Nebraska iluy bought considerable |iiii|)erty in the river towns uf the State. They had holdings in Brownville, Neb- raska City, . Tekamah, and Dakota City, Nebraska, and also in Sioux City, Iowa. None of the Missouri river " ventures, however, proved

profitable except those in N KOINTZE. Omaha. They also had

large holdings in Iowa and mds. At a sliU later period they bought considerable real estate in sted in Texas pine and grazing lands. In the fall of 1857, after the re of the local banks at Omaha having failed, Augustus and Herman

in business at the same place until his death, a period of about forty years. Christian and Margaret Kountze raised a family of ten children — five sons and five daughters. Augustus Kountze was born Nov. 19, 1826, and Herman Kountze was born .\ug. 2i, 1833. All the sons acquired their busi- ness training under their father's care. Augustus en- tered his father's business house at the age of fifteen and continued until 1854, and was the first to leave the old home, going from there to Muscatine, Iowa, the then far West, where he engaged in the real estate business. In the summer of 1855 Omaha was first brought to his no- tice as a probable coming city, and he came here and made a few investments. Early in the spring of 1856 he returned and made it his home lintil February, 1872. Herman Kountze com- menced business in his hjr father's store at the age of

Minnesota lands, and later on invested heavily in Nebrask: other places, principally in Chicago and Denver, and also ii great financial panic, real estate became very unsalable, and 1 Kountze commenced the banking business under the firm name of Kountze Brothers, and continued as such until 1864. Meantime they organized the First National Bank of Omaha, which was the first bank organized in Nebraska under the National Banking Law. At the time of its organization the late Mr. Edward Creighton w.is made president of the bank, in which capacity he continued until his death. Herman Kountze was appointed cashier and filled that position for several years; later on he became vice-president and Augustus Kountze was made cashier. Upon the death of Mr. Creighton, Herman Kountze was elected president of the bank and has since remained in that position. In the fall of 1862, Luther Kountze, a younger brother, went to Denver and was soon followed by Charles B. Kountze, who was the last of the boys to leave the old home. Upon arriving in Denver Luther opened a bank under the name of Kountze Brothers, the senior members being Augustus and Herman. In 1866 they organized the Colorado National Bank, of Denver. They have ever since remained in the control and management of that institution, and are prominently connected with other business interests of that city, particularly in the Holden Smelting and Reduction Works, in which they have invested largely. During 1867 Luther Kountze went to New York, and in 186S opened a banking house in that city under the firm name of Kountze Brothers, of which Augustus and Herman Kountze are the senior members. In 1872 the New York business had grown to such an extent that it became necessary for another member of the firm to be in that city and, accordingly, Augustus Kountze left Omaha and took up his permanent residence in New York, assuming, in connection with Luther, the management of the business in that city, which is still continued under the old firm name and includes the four brothers. Augustus Kountze was married June 14, 1859, to Miss Catharine Ruth, of Hanoverton, Ohio. Herman Kountze was married May 10, 1S64, to Miss Elizabeth Davis, the daughter of Mr. Thomas Davis, one of the pioneers of Omaha and Nebraska, but now a resident of Indianapolis. Augustus and

OMAfTA ILLUSTRATED.

Herman Kountze have been identified with the business interests and progress of Omaha and Nebraska from the pioneer days until the present time, and have talven an ftctive part in everytliing tending to the material welfare of the city and State. They were largely interested in the Omaha & Northwestern Railroad, now a part of the Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul & Omaha, and have also been interested in railroads in other portions of the country, particularly the Denver & South Park, now owned by the Union Pacific,

the Sabine & East Texas Railway, running from Sabine Pass to the Neches river in Texas, which road has since been merged into the Texas & New Orleans system of roads; the Boston, Hoosac Tunnel & Western Railway, a pait of the Fitchbuig system of roads, which system includes the famous Hoosac Tunnel, Troy & Greenfield, as well as the Tioy &. Boston, making a continuous line fiom Boston, Mass , to Tio>, New York. Until their con- Augustus was piesident of the B., H. T. & W., and is now a duector in the ■ consolidated company. Au!;ustus Kountze was also treasurer, for a number of ^ I of the then leiutoiy of Nebraska, and was one Union Pacific Railroad, as well and later on held the appoint-

1

ment of a United States Govern of said railroad company, and at the time ol he was largely instrumental in securing for it the right of way and terminal facilities in Omaha. During his residence in Omaha he was engaged in the lianking inter- ests of the firm, including those named, with the branches at Central City, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Kountze Memo- rial Lutheran church, of Omaha, to which he was a most generous contributor, was named in honor of his father. After Augustus went to New York, Herman took the management of the affairs of the firm in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. The new First National Dank building in Omaha, costing, including realty, $300,000, is another monument of their en- terprise, and to Herman Kountze largely belongs the credit for its erection. Mr. Her- man Kountze has greatly developed the rcsi dence portions of the city, having, during

the year 18S7, laid out one of the finest ad.li ^.^^^.^ ^ ..^ MEMORIAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.

tions to the city and known as Kountze .

Place, on which there are now about seventy-five of the handsomest residences in the city in the course of erection, with about as many more to be added during 1SS8. For many of the houses erected he furnished aid to the purchasers. He has also sold large numbers of lots in other portions of the city to labi

the buildii

ring men on long time and easy terms, in many instances advancing money for enablin.. many to secure homes who, otherwise, could not' have done so. He is also interested in the South Omaha Land Syndicate and South Omaha Stock Yards, corporations which have given Omaha a great boom and made .t one of the solid business cities of the country.

some time in 1857. Its cost was $100,000. The capital removal qt.ostion was not brought up a-ain until 1867, when Nebraska became a State. The cnablin-j act for Nebraska's admission was

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

passed March 2i, 1864, and- under that act an election was held, and a State constitution adopted which prohibited the right of suffrage to the negroes. This caused Congress to pass another act to the effect that Nebraska could only be admitted by a change of her consti-

[John A. McShane was born at New Lexington, Perry county of age, receiving during this period of his life all the education hi afforded. With this meagre education, and accustomed to toil, in Wyoming Territoiy, where he became employed on a cattle ranch of practical apprenticeship and prudent saving, he made a venture in cattle on his own account, and thus laid the foundation for his subsequent great financial success. In 1874 he left Wyoming and came to Oma ha, and has since continu- ously resided here. He re-

, Ohio, .\ugust 25, 1S50, and worked upon a farm until 21 years ever obtained, and that only such as a country common school 1S71 Mr. McShane set out to carve his fortune in life, going to Seeing in cattle raising a prosperous business, after two years

to engage in any project

for

Wi

,idually,un he mergei

til ISS

them in the Bay Slate Live Stock Company, in which he is a stockholder, and whose herds now number loo.ooohead. Clear-headed as to the future, Mr. Mc Shane saw what Omaha might become, and with

for which he is noted, hf soon became one of Oma ha's most prominent ami

\W r.

ity's

elopment of the rces and the pro- motion of Its geneiil «el faie In 1879 the Omaha Nail Woiks wcie estab libhed. Ml McShane be ing a stockholder lu the company and a diiector, and this impoitant manu factoiy foi seveial years contiibuted much to the business of Omaha, and ga\e employment to a laige number of woikmcn He

of the Union Stock \aids at South Omaha, and was elected piesident of the compan), which office he still holds This movement his I 1 V ll ill an impuit

UltsglL

packing 1

1^.1^.

to surpass in volume tliose of any other western city. In dircciing aUention to Omaha's advantages as a cattle market and packing point, Mr. McShane has been especially active, and he has been instrumental in the removal of a considerable portion of the packing business of Chicago to South Omaha. He was one of the promoters of the South Omaha Laud Syndicate, and is a director in the organization. He helped to organize the Union Stock Yards Bank in South Omaha, and is president of the institu. lion; he is also a stockholder and director in the First National Bank of Omaha. Outside of these various enterprises his attention is devoted to the care of his large real estate interests in Omaha. In iSSo Mr. McShane was elected to the lower house of the Stale Legislature from Omaha for two years. In 1882 he was elected to the State Senate for two years from the Senatorial District of which

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

Douglas county forms a part, and was re-elected for anolher term in 1SS4. In 1886 he received the nomination of his party in the First Congressional District, his Republican competitor being Hon. Church Howe, and was elected by a plurality over Howe of 7,023, and a majority over all of 6,980, thus winning the distinction of being the first Democrat sent to Congress from Nebraska. During Mr. McShane's service in the State Legislature, changes were made in the charter of Omaha, which enabled the city govern- ment to enter upon a series of public improvements that have wholly changed the character of the city. In the formulation of these measures Mr. McShane vigilantly and faithfully represented his constituents, and advocated the increased powers of the City Council, which were necessary to the end in view. In the larger field to which he has been called he will undoubtedly prove a valuable and faithful representative of Nebraska's interests, in that quiet but effective way which has characterized his business methods.]

tution, SO that the right of suffrage should not be denied to any man on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude. The constitution was accordingly revised and then Nebraska was admitted as a State of the Union. Under a constitutional provision the first

FIR T N\ri

State Legislature had the right to locate the seat of government. Governor David Butler, the first elected Governor, convened the first State Legislature at Omaha on the i6th of May, 1867, and it was during this session that the capital was removed to Lincoln. The citizens of Omaha made no opposition. Upon the removal of the capital the title to Capitol Square reverted to Omaha, the Legislature making it conditional that the ground should be used for school purposes. The magnificent high school building now occupying the site of the old capitol was built during the years 1870, '71 and '72, at a cost of $250,000.

In the early history of Omaha the Claim Club occupies a prominent position. It is maintained by many of the surviving old settlers, particularly those who were active mem- bers of the organization, that the Claim Club was a necessary institution. At the time the Claim Clubs throughout Nebraska were formed, the settlers had only a squatter claim, as the

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

title to the land was still in the Government. One of the objects, therefore, of the Claim organization was to protect these squatter titles. Conveyances of these titles were made by means of quit-claim deeds. Another object was the acquisition of more land than would be allowed under the Government laws, under \\hich the limit was i6o acres. This was not enough to satisfy the squatters, who determined through the "claim association" system to

[Origen D. Richa-ilson was born in Vemic l8l2, and took part in the battle of Plattsburg. :ontinued the practice of his profession. He \v:

t in 1796. He joined the voUniteer troops of that State as a private in the war of He was admitted to the bar in 1S24, and moved to Michigan in 1829, where he ; a prominent Democratic politician, serving several terms in both branches of the

Territorial and .State Legislatur to Omaha, and was a member of the first Territorial Conn- cil of Nebraska. In 1855 he was appointed one of the Commissioners to prepare a code of laws for the Territory. The codification, which was mainly his work, forms the basis of the present laws of Nebraska. Hedied in Oma- ha in 187S. Governor Rich- ardson was long a leading and well known citizen of Michigan, commandmg the confidence and enjoying the respect of its people In his profession he tanked among the first. In politics he w is a Jeffersonian Demociat 11 1 strict constiuclioiiist Hi personal integiitywas of in flexible mould No admin istration of Michigan e\er more completely enjojed the confidence of the State than that in which John S. Barry was Goveinoi and O D. Richardson I leiitenant Gov- ernor. Aftei hib lemoval to Nebinska he ga\e little at- tention to polilicb, but pur- sued his profession and de voted himself to the care of a his interest anil sympathy with y

for a pleasant word and hearty greeting to the young. No c In his twenty-first year, just out of school, he had undertak

es. He was Lieutenant-Governor of Michigan from 1844 to 1848.

In September, 1854, he removed large property. Such public offices as he held he received without solicitation, and by a practically unanimous elec- tion. His high character and long experience in pub-

lic affai:

gave him great

weight and influence in an unformed commonwealth in which it was rare to find a man over thirty years of age. The revised statutes of 1867 are almost wholly his work. J. S. Sharp and A. J. Pop- pleton were his associates, but the work was his. He was both an able jurist and an eflfective advocate. He was a clear and logical think- er, with the additional gift of a pleasing and effective style of speech. Through his strongest and most serious efforts there was apt to run an undercurrent of humor, ridicule and satire, which maintained the interest of court and auditors at the highest point; yet his chief power lay in the vigor and conclusiveness of his argu- ment. One of Governor Richardson's best traits was He was naturally genial and kindly to all, and was never too busy could have better reason for remembering this trait than the writer, to speak on an occasion which had usually demanded older men. When the allotted moment arrived the natural trepidation of the situation so wrought upon the speaker as well nigh to congeal his faculties. Just as he mounted the platform a strong hand seized his. "You have a splendid audience," said he, " and they are all kindly disposed; if your knees tremble and the words stick in your throat, look at me and take courage." For the short hour the writer stood for the first time before "a sea of upturned faces," the broad, benevolent, beaming, kindly face of Governor Richardson, not ten feet in front, was a tower of strength and courage, a beacon and an inspiration. The heart of youth won in that way is never lost. The impress of a noble character is never effaced, but becomes a guide and monitor of youth forever. His family life was singularly happy. After fifty years of domestic happiness, in which youthful vows and attachments grew stronger and more sacred with the lapse of years, husband and wife were called together — crossing the silent river, as they had so long journeyed upon earth, side by side. He left one son and two daughters, all yet living — Lyman Richardson, from its origin until very recently joint foimder and proprietor, and business manager of the Omaha Herald; Mrs. Z. B. Knight and Mrs. G. I. Gilbert, all important factors in the best life of Omaha. — a. j. p.]

take 320 acres. The first " Nebraska claim meeting," as it was called, was held at Omaha, Jul_\- 22d, 1854, soon after the completion of the survey of the town site. S. Lewis presided as chairman, and M. C. Gaylord was the secretary. A code of laws was adopted, providing for the marking of claims. The claims were limited to 320 acres, which could be in two tracts of 160 acres each. Timber claims were liinited to eighty acres, in two separate tracts if so desired. The Omaha Claim Club, as the organization was named, elected as its first officers :

THE LATE GOV ORIGEN D RICH.'iRDSON, g men, students and lawyers. He w;

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

A. D. Jones, judge ; S. Lewis, clerk ; M. C. Gaylord, recorder ; R. B. Whitted, sheriff. Other clubs throughout the Territory soon followed, all organized upon the plan of the Omaha club. One of the regulations of the Omaha club was that each member should hold against all

1146021

CITY HALL.

outside claimants provided he made improvements to the extent of $50 per year. The mem- bers of the club covered all the valuable land in the immediate vicinity with their claims, and the result was that during the next two or three years numerous bitter contests arose over the claims between the new-comers and the first settlers. The Claim Club was very arbitrary and cruel in enforcing its regulations and maintaining the claims of its members, and the con-

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

sequence was that numerous outrages were perpetrated. " Doc." Smith, who has for so many years been the county surveyor, was driven off his claim by a mob, and was compelled to keep in hiding several months in order to save his life. He finally brought his case to the attention of the Government authorities, and eventually succeeded in recovering his claim, upon a portion of which he still resides. John A. Parker, register of the Omaha land office at the

[Hon. Andrew J. Poppleton has made Omaha his home for over thirty-three years. He is one of the pioneers who located here in 1854, when the place was but a mere hamlet of the frontier. Mr. roppletoii is a native of Michigan, having been born in Troy, Oakland county, July 24th, 1830. Until the age of fourteen he remained upon his father's farm, and attended the county district schools. He was then given his preliminary training for college at Romeo, Michigan, and was sent to Union College,

arrived here October 13, 1S54, and immediately opened a law oflice. He soon had plenty of practice in claim suits and land litigation, and has continued in active prac- tice ever since, devoting him- self during all these years wholly to his profession. Mr. Poppleton served as a mem- ber of the Nebraska Territorial Legislative Assembly during the sessions of 1854-55 and 1S57-5S, and was Mayor of

lahadu

: the

59-

Schenectady, N. Y., from which institution he giadu ated in July, 1851 Fiom September, 1851, to May, 1852, he taught Latin and Greek in the institution at Romeo, where he hid bten prepared for college Mi Poppleton had read considei able law during his college course, and, entering the law office of C. L&E.C \\alkei, of Detroit, he was admitted to practice in Octobei, 1S52, after an e.xamination by the Supreme Court of Michigiii Clinton Briggs and T Seeley, who became pi 1 nent citizens of Omaha, \ admitted at the same tii To complete his pielimii legal training Mr. Pupi 1 i attended a six months' cuui l at John W. Fo« ler s 1 nv school, Poughkeepsie, N \ , where extempore speaking and the trial of moot causes were specialties. He then began active practice in De- troit. Upon the passsage of the Kansas-Nebraska bill, he made arrangements to settle permanently in Omaha. He best efforts of his life. The next day he continued his general practice until 1S69 tion contracts. Thereupon Mr. Poppleton accepted a regular salary from the company, and has ever since continued as general attorney of the system, except that portion located in Kansas. As general attorney he has had charge and supervision of all legal, claim, tax and right of way business arising in Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon, the local attorneys in all these jurisdictions reporting to him, and being subject to his direction and supervision. In 1885 he was made counsel of the managing and executive officers at Omaha, in respect to all matters arising in Kansas, and on October 1st, 1886,

He received, with J. Sterling Morton, the vote of tlie Democratic party for U. S. Senator, upon the ad- mission of Nebraska as a State in 1867, and was the nominee of that party for Congress in 1868, but was de- feated. Mr. Poppleton took a prominent part in the for- mal breaking of. ground for the Union Pacific Railroad at Omaha, December 2d, 1863. On this occasion he made a memorable speech, which has always been regarded by those who have known him all these years as one of the ■as appointed attorney of the Union Pacific by Vice-President Durant. From that date he In that year the road was completed, and much important litigation arose from

HON. ANDREW J. POPPLETON.

placed under his supervision and 1

rol.

His last annual report shows five hundred cases pendi

involving every variety of litigation. To all of this work are to be added his labors as counsel of tlie general officers of the line at Omaha. It will be seen that his life is a very busy one. It is Mr. Poppleton's proud boast that he has never sought advancement except in his chosen profession; that he has never made a dollar by speculation; that he has never owned a share of railway stock or railway property of any kind; and that his property in Omaha is the result of his professional earnings, and judicious permanent investments in real estate. The fact that he has been twenty-four years in the service of the Union Pacific, and his gradual advance- ment to the supervision of the entire system and the management and control of all its legal affairs in the West, is the strongest evidence of the success of his management of the company's business. The Nebraska State University, in 1SS7, conferred the degree of LL. D. upon Mr. Poppleton. He has a large and well selected library of general literature at his elegant and commodious home on Sherman avenue, and, notwithstanding his multiplicity of duties, he is an extensive reader. He has the reputation of an eloquent orator, an accomplished scholar, and a fluent and classic writer. Mr. Poppleton was married December 2d, 1855, at Council Bluffs, to Miss Caroline L. Sears. They have three children — Elizabeth E. Poppleton, a graduate of Vassar College ; William S. Poppleton, a graduate of Harvard, and now a student at law; and Mary D. Poppleton, now in school at Stamford, Conn.]

time Mr. Smith was driven off his claim, testified in Smith's behalf, and among other things swore that he saw a large and excited mob, fully armed, proceed to Smith's house and pull

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

it down, and give notice to Smith to leave the Territory immediately under pain of being placed in the river if he failed to do so ; and that Smith did, in fact, leave. This occurred in May, 1856. Parker also testified that about the 1st of February, 1857, the land office opened at Omaha, and the Claim Club passed a resolution that no man should be permitted to pre-empt land without the consent of that association. Furthermore, that a committee of vigilance was appointed to see that no person violated that resolution, and to punish and "dispose of" all who made any effort to comply with the laws of the United States. "Some were summarily dealt with," according to the testimony of Mr. Parker, "and have not since been heard of."

KL->Uil NLE UP HilN \ J PuULETON.

The resolution referred to by Parker in his affidavit in Smith's case was adopted at a mass meeting on the 20th of February, 1857, and was as follows:

Congress to pre-cmpl a man's faiin unacr the cului- of law,

" Resolved, That persons shielding themselves under the act of C shall be no excuse for the oiifender, but he will be treated by us as any oth

ief.'

The next day Jacob S. ShuII, who had squatted on what he believed to be a piece of Govern- ment land — -and which he claimed the right to settle upon and improve under the pre-emption laws — was driven off his claim by an armed mob of 150 men. They set fire to his buildings, and destroyed everything on the land. Had they caught him they would no doubt have killed him. He was obliged to remain in hiding for two days. Mr. Shull, who did not dare try to recover his claim, died within a year after this event. Just before he died he told his family that they would some day recover the land. This they did at the end of a lawsuit. They have since made a fortune out of the land, which in time became very valuable.

An Irishman named Callahan was another victim of the wrath of the Claim Club. He was ducked in the river through a hole in the ice, in February, 1857, until he was nearly dead. Finally

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

he consented to give up the claim about which the controversy had arisen. It is said that Callahan never fully recovered from this cruel treatment, and that he died a few years afterwards. A man named Ziegler was banished from the Territory, and condemned to death if he should return. Ziegler was escorted to the river and sent over to Iowa. Daniel Murphy was forced, after a severe struggle in a lawyer's office, to relinquish his claim to a piece of land for the promised considera-

[Hon. John M. Thurston was born in Montpclior, Vermont, August 21, 1S47. I" 1S54 his father's family removed to Madison, Wisconsin, and two years later to Beaver Dam, in the same state, where Mr. Thurston's widowed mother yet resides. As a boy, Mr. Thurston worked upon the farm and at other avocations during each summer, and devoted the winters to studying and preparing for college. At the age of sixteen he entered Wayland Unixcisily, and graduated at twenty. Having chosen the law as a profession.

he entered upon its study, and in May, iS6g, was admit- ted to the bar in Dodge county, Wisconsin. Until October of that year he practiced in partnership with Hon. E. 1'. Smith, when he removed to Omaha, where he has achieved a commanding posi- tion in his profes- s i o n. In April, 1872, Mr. Thurston was elected to the City Council, and served one term, during which he was acting pi est dent, and for a poi tion of the time. Police Magisliatt In 1874 he was ap pointed City At ; torney, and while ;' holding this posi tion was chose n to the Legislatuie, in 1875. In that body he was chai) man of the Judicial y Committee, and acting Speaker. In i877Mr. Thuis ton resigned his City Attorneyship to accept the poii-

torney of the Union Pacific Railroad Company, which he still retains, and in the administra- tion of which he has won a high reputation as a law- yer. In 187s Mr. Thurston was unanimously nomi- nated by the Re- publican party for Judge of the Third Judicial District of the State. His opponent. Judge James W. Savage, being twenty years his senior, this dis- ■'..lity in ages was I --ed as an argu- ment against Mr. Thurston, and . msed his defeat. In 1S7S beheaded I h e Republican Picsidential elec- toral ticketin Neb- raska, and was se- lected as messen- ger to convey the vote to Washing- ton. In 1884 he was chairman of the State delega- tion to the Repub- ,j lican National Con-

vention at Chicago, State campaigns he has responded freely to the many a speaker. During the session of the Legislature, in 1 succeed Senator Van Wyck, receiving in preliminary

in which he took an active and prominent part, and in each of the Nebrask calls which have been made upon him from all sections, for his services January, 18S7, he was prominently mentioned for United States Senator, caucus many votes, and but for the fact that Senator Manderson is also a resident of Omaha, he would probably have been elected. Mr. Thurston, at the age of forty, and in the prime of life, is confessedly one of the leading lawyers of the West. His close application to his cases, his readiness of resource, and his acknowledged ability as a speaker, make him one of the most successful trial lawyers in Nebraska. His handling of the noted Olive and Lauer murder trials will long be remembered as among his most successful efforts, while his whole professional career has contributed greatly to the deserved distinction enjoyed by the bar of Omaha and of Nebraska. There may be much in the future for Mr. Thurston; for it is of such material, moulded by indomitable will, and stimulated by a worthy amljition, that the men who have achieved distinction in the nation have been made.]

tion of $[,000, but it is said that after he had signed the document he was given only $ioo. At various times, in after years, he made some attempts to recover the land, but in each instance was unsuccessful. Another Irishman was hanged to a tree until nearly dead, and when cut down he

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED

still refused to yield to the demand of the club. He was then locked up and starved into sub- mission. These are only a few sample outrages committed by the Claim Club, but they are sufficient to show how the organization operated.

Ill

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,1PANY S BUILDING.

The Territorial Legislature actually passed an act, approved March 6, 1856, investing the Claim Clubs with legislative powers for their respective neighborhoods. In defense of the Claim Clubs it has been said that they were the only security of actual settlers prior to the land sales, and hence were a necessity as long as squatter titles existed. As soon as the Government land office opened, however, they were no longer needed, and they were accordingly disbanded during 1S57-58.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

The first legal entry of land made in Nebraska was in March, 1857. The first public sale of Government lands to the highest bidder was made on the 5th of July, 1859. Colonel A. R. Gilmore was the first Receiver of the United States Land Office at Omaha, and Colonel John A. Parker was the first Register. The land covered by the site of Omaha was granted in two patents — one to John McCormick, May i, i860, the land having been bid off by him at the public sale of July 5, 1859, acting as trustee, and the other to Jesse Lowe, Mayor, October i, i860, on the entry made March 17, 1857.

[In his chosen profession of the law the Hon. James M. Woohvorth has reached the first rank. In pubHc and private life he is one of Omaha's foremost citizens. He was born in Onondaga Valley, Onondaga county, N. Y., in 1829. The finishing touches to his education were received at the well known Hamilton College, from which he graduated i-i 1849 Avith high honors. He adopted the profession of the law and was admitted to the bar iu his native State in 1854, and practic i before the courts of Syracuse until October, 1856, when he followed the and religious matters, and

example of so many bright young men at that time. He migrated West and arrived in , Omaha October 31, of that year. At the time Judge Woolworth came to Omaha the bar of this city, although lim- ited, was composed of bright young lawyers, most of whom have risen to prominence in the city. His abilities were soon recognized and he was elected the first City Attorney of Omaha. He also served the city in the Legislatme in the early period and was chosen as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1871. Two years later he headed the Dem- ocratic State ticket for the high office of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and polled the full party strength. Never de- siring office, he has been called to it a number of times by the citizens irrespective of party. Mr. Woolworth has been close- ly identified with the growth and progress of the city. In his private life he has taken a deep interest in educational

stands as a bulwark in the af- fairs of the Episcopal church of this city. For more than a quarter of a century he has been a vestryman of Trinity Cathedral and for seventeen years its senior warden, from which positioir he resigned. To him, more than any other person, is the meed of praise due for the present prosperous condition of the church, and its place of worship was built by means of his generosity. He is at present Chancellor of the Diocese of Nebraska, and for more than twenty years one of its lay delegates to the gen- eral convention of the church. He is also a member of the committee on the revision of liturgy, and a trustee of Racine College, in Wisconsin, and Brownell Hall, in Omaha. He received the degree of LL. D. from the latter college in 1875. The Omaha public school sys- tem has been nurtured and en- couraged by Mr. Woolworth, and he w.as a member of the first board of regents for the

High School in 1867. Mr. Woolworth has amassed a fine competency in the practice of his profession, and lives in one of the most handsome residences in Omaha. He enjoys the largest legal business in the city, his cases being confined to the most important civil suits that come up in the courts. In the development of Omaha, Judge Woolworth has been very active. He is a large investor in business property and real estate, and one of the projectors of the Union Stock Yards Company, an institution that has accomplished so much for Omaha. He was one of the original trustees of the South Omaha Land Syndicate, and is director of the South Omaha Land Company, and counsel of that company and of the Stock Yards Company. He is also one of the directory of the First National Bank, the strongest financial institution in the city. Judge Woolworth enjoys the reputation of being a large-hearted, high-minded. Christian gentleman, of deep learning and profound knowledge of the law.]

hs M WUOLWURIH

In the early days of Omaha, j'ustice was frequently administered in a very summary way and without due process of law. Horse thieves especially received no mercy. In the summer of 1856, two thieves stole some horses from the settlers in the vicinity of Omaha, and sold them to a band of Pawnee Indians, from whom the animals were recovered. The thieves were cap- tured and brought into the city. They were stripped to the waist and tied to a liberty pole on Harney street, where they were given thirty-nine lashes each upon the back with a rawhide. The whipping was done alternately by the owners of the horses and the Indians who had bought them and had to give them up. An effort was made by Chief Justice

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

Ferguson and United States Marshal Rankin to have the prisoners rescued, and punished according to law, but the mob was too powerful to be interfered with. A more severe punishment was meted out to two horse thieves, named Braden and Daley, in the month of March, 1858. They had been committing depredations for some time, but were finally captured by some farmers near Florence, from whom they had stolen horses. The prisoners were brought to Omaha, and, after a preliminary hearing before a magis- trate were committed to jail, in default of bail, to await their trial. A few days afterwards a party of men from Florence ap- peared at the Court House in the evening, and surrep- titiously getting the key of the jail from the sheriff's office, entered the jail and

took possession of Braden and Daley. They put the prisoners in a wagon, and drove to a lonely spot two miles north of Florence, where they hanged the two men to the limb of an oak tree. Four men were ap- prehended and tried for participation in this affair, but they were acquitted. The sheriff was convicted of dereliction of duty in not preventing the hang- ing, and was heavily fined. In the spring of 1861 two men, named Bouve and Her, assaulted and robbed Mrs. George T. Taylor at her home, ten miles northwest of Omaha. The thieves were arrested in Omaha on suspicion, and were positively identified by Mrs. Taylor, who recognized them without difficulty in a crowd of men among whom they had been placed in the court room. Thereupon the prisoners were put in separate cells. A committee of citizens visited the jail and informed Bouve that his partner. Her, had confessed. Bouve, however, did not believe it, and did not fall into the trap set for him. The committee next called on Her, and told him that Bouve had made a full confession, and that he might as well do the same thing. Her thereupon confessed, and revealed the place where the money and

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

other articles, consisting mostly of silver, were concealed. At a public meeting the next day, in front of Pioneer Block, on Farnam street, it was determined to try Bouve and Her at once. The trial was accordingly held in a room in Pioneer Block, before a jury of twelve men selected from the crowd. The accused were eloquently defended by William A. Little, afterwards Chief Justice, and Robert A. Howard. The verdict was " Guilty," with a rccom-

[Charles F. Manderson was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. g, 1S37. His ancestry were Scotch-Irish, and his father, the late John Manderson, of Philadelphia, who died Nov. 25, 1887, at the advanfjd age of 87 years, was one of the best known citizens of Pennsylvania's metropolis. After being educated in the schools and academies of his native city, Manderson removed to Canton, Ohio, where he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1859. In the spring of i860 he was elected city solicitor, and was re- elected to that office in 1861. In April, i86i, and on the day that the news of the firing on Ft. Sumter spread through the North,

a part of the nth

Manderson enlisted as a private soldier with Capt. James Wallace, but being immediately granted a recruiting commission, he, witli Samuel Beatty, sheriff of Stark county, raised a company of infantry in one day, Beatty be- coming captain and Manderson its first lieutenant. This com- pany was assigned to the 19th Ohio infantry. Captain Beatty becom- ing the Colonel of that regiment, Manderson being made a captain. This regiment was im- mediately ordered into West Virginia, and participated with great credit in the fust battle of the late war, fought at Rich Moun- tain, July I ith, iSi)i. The Union victory was an encouraging and decisive one, and Gon. McClellan issued an order complimenting the troops in the high- est terms, the victory having delivered West Virginia from the enemy, and the troops also received t h e thanks of Congress. The three months ser- vice being completed, Capt. Manderson re- enlisted his company " for three years, or during the war," its organization being

commanded liy General Boyle. In Dec. 1861, being at lolumbia, Kentucky, the command marched lo Jamestown, on the Cumberland river, and prevented a junction I'y river of the rebel forces at Nashville ^^ilh those at Mill Spring. After a severe winter's campaign in Kentucky the regi- ment reached Nash- ville in March, 1862, being among the first t loops to enter that enptured city. As part of Crittenden's divi- sion of Buell's army, il inarched through Tennessee for the town of Savannah, and, «!ien within a few miles of that place on llie 6th of April, it heard the booming of the distant guns that announced the strug- gle at Pittsburg Land- ing. Throwing aside all unnecessary bur- den, and receiving double supply of am- munition, the regiment was double-ipiicked to the river in time to cross to the battlefield of Shiloh on the eve- ning of the first day's great fight. The igth Ohio went into battle at daylight the next morning. Captain Manderson acting as major. At the first discharge of the enemy's guns, Major Edwards, then

In the early fall of 1S61, the Iglh (Jhio

Infantry proceeded to HON. CH.\RLES F. MANDICRSON.

Kentucky and became

Lieutenant-Colonel, was instantly killed, and Captain Manderson became the acting Lieutenant-Colonel, and from the battle o"f Shiloh until near the close of the war, Manderson commanded the regiment in eveiy skirmish and battle in which it was engaged. The regiment was warmly complimented by both Generals Crittenden and Nelson, it having participated in Nelson's Last charge upon the enemy which broke his lines and drove him from the federal front. The 19th Ohio participated in the advance upon the enemy and in the seige of Corinth, entering that place May 29, 1862. It pursued the enemy to Ripley, Miss., and returning !■!« luka, marched through northern Alabama and Georgia to Battle Creek, Tenn. During the summer of 1862, it participated in the march under General Buell, from the Tennessee river near Chattanooga to Louisville, Ky., and in the fall of 1S62, it joined in the pursuit of Bragg through Kentucky and Tennessee, reaching Nashville in November. During this march the regiment had several skirmishes with the enemy, and at Crab Orchard charged upon the rebels and captured some artillery. On Dec. 26, 1862, the regi- ment, under command of Manderson, marched with Rosecrans' army upon the reiiel position at Murfreesboro and participated in both the severe battles at Stone River, Dec. 31, 1862, and Jan. 2, 1863, its commander receiving favorable mention in the official reports of Generals Beatty, Van Cleve and Crittenden, who commanded respectively the brigade, division and corps. The loss of the regiment in this battle, in officers, was particularly severe, and of the 449 enlisted men there were killed and wounded 213 — nearly 50 per cent ! Major Manderson was made Lieutenant-Colonel by the battles at Stone River, and was promoted to the Colonelcy March 15, 1863. His regiment participated in the Tullahoma campaign in the summer of 1863, and in September of that year, bore its full share of the burden at Chicamauga, where it was commanded by Lieut.-Col. Stratton, Colonel Manderson having been sent to Ohio where he took part in the memorable struggle between Vallandigham and Gov. Brough. Rejoining his regiment at Chattanooga, Oct. 1863, Manderson was in command of the Igth Ohio in the battles about that place, being engaged at Orchard Knob and Mission Ridge. After the battle of Mission Ridge, the 19th Ohfo formed part of the column which, under General Sherman, marched to the relief of Kno.\ville. On Jan. 1st, 1S64, four hundred men of the igth Ohio re-enlisted as veterans, and after the veteran furlough was over,

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

the men returned to the front, reaching Knoxville in March, 1864, participating in the Atlanta campaign under Slierman, being a part of the 3d Brigade, 3d Division, 4tlr Army Corps. The 19th Ohio was " in " at New Hope Church, at Kenesaw, Teach Tree Creelc, the crossing of tire Chattahoochie, the engagements about Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy's Station, and other engagements of lesser note, in that icra days campaign of constant fighting. During this campaign Col. Manderson commanded a demi-brigade composed of the gth Kentucky, iqth Ohio, and 79th Indiana. On the 2nd of September, 1864, as a result of a terrific charge at Lovejoy's Station on the enemy's rifle pits, they were carried and the encounter was so furious as to carry the troops forward upon the main line of the enemy's works. The right and left supports of Manderson's demi-brigade gave way, and it was while Colonel Manderson was engaged in directing the charge upon these rifle pits, so that they could be made a new advance line for the federals, that he was severely wounded in the spine. His loss here was 70 men killed and wounded. The disability from this wound was so great in resulting consequences that he was rendered unfit for service, and he tendered his resignation March 17, 1865, which was not accepted, however, until he was brevetted a Brigadier General of volunteers for " gallant, long continued and meritorious services." General Manderson returned home to Canton in April, 1864, and resumed the practice of the law, forming a partnership with Judge Seraphin Meyer. The firm secured a large practice, and Manderson was twice elected to the office of prosecuting attorney. In 1867 he came within one vote of receiving the nomination for Congress in the Republican convention for the then large 17th Congressional District, now represented by Major McKinley, which then gave 5,000 Republican majority. General Manderson removed to Omaha in Nov. 1869, and formed a partnership with Hon. James \V. Savage, which continued for six years and until the latter went upon the bench. Manderson remained alone in his profession until 1880, when he formed the partnership of Manderson & Congdon, which

continued successfully until the former's election to the Senate. For six years, during the terms of Mayors Wilbur, Chase and Boyd, General Manderson was city attorney of Omaha. In 1871, and again in 1874, he was elected by both political parties and without opposition, a member of the Constitutional Convention. lie served for two years as president of the Nebraska State Bar Association and has for several years been one of the executive committee of the American Bar Association. At the legislative session in 1883, Gen. Manderson was elected to the United Stales SoiuUo fir six years, as a Republican, succeeding Hon. Alvin Saunders. Gen. Manderson, without the arts of the demagogue in politics, is a true representative of his party, in its ideas, policy and progressiveness. Conservative, prudent and sagacious, he is also painsiakiiii;, vigil.int and faithful. He has been mentioned as a candidate for Vice- President, an honor unsought, and a compliment to his devoticni to iha best interests of his State and of the great West. His influence at Washington is recognized, and exceeds that usually allotted to a Senator during his first term. He is a member of the Committee on Military Affairs, and of the Committee on Territories ; and upon the death of ihe veteran Senator Anthony, he was made chairman of the Committee on Printing, His term as Senator will expire March 4, 18S9.

meiidation that Her be treated leniently, in con.'iidcration of his havinLj prevented Rouvc from killing Mrs. Taylor. The verdict was approved by the crowd, who decided that the Vigi- lance Committee should finally dispose of the case. The Vigilance Committee, composed of well-known citizens, accordingly proceeded at midnight to the jail, and overpowering Bouve, hanged him to a beam in the hall. He was a noted desperado, ami was credited with

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

having committed several murders in tlie West. He no doubt deserved his fate. Her was set free, and ordered to leave the city. He became a Union soldier, served through the war, and made a good record.

The first legal execution in Nebraska took place in Omaha on August 28, 1S63, the victim being Cyrus H. Tator. One day in the month of June, 1S63, the body of a dead man was found in

[The Nebraska National Bank occupies the first floor of the elegant four story and basement iron building located on the north- west corner of Twelfth and Farnam streets, which was erected by the bank in 1882-3 especially for its business, and which marked the commencement of the fine building era in Omaha. At the time, it was regarded as a display of extraordinary confidence and faith in the future of the city, but their example has since been approved and followed by the older banks, in the erection of three other magnificent bank buildings the present year. The bank was organized in April, 1S82, by A. E. Touzalin and H. W. Yates, in conjunction with a number of the leading business men and firms of the city, and in response to a general de- mand for increased banking facilities, made necessary by the unusual development of business interests and surpris-

ing g

rowth

cial im-

been prominently and continu- ously engaged in the banking business here since 1S63. He is vice-president for Nebraska, of the National Bankers Associa- tion of the United States. Mr. Hughes, the cashier, is also an old and experienced banker, having been continuously en- gaged in the business since the beginning of banking in Oma- ha. He is also manager of the Clearing House, and h.as been since its organization. Mr. Reed, vice-president, has been long and favorably known as one of Omaha's most reliable and active business men. Until the present year he was a member of the old real estate firm of Byron Reed & Co., and with- drew from that business totaTte an active part in the manage- ment of the bank of which he has been a director since its organization. Mr. Touzalin is a prominent railroad man resid- ing in Boston, formerly vice- president of the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy, and Atchi- son, Topeka & Santa Fe rail- roads, and now president of the Chicago, Burlington &

Northern Railroad Company. He has large monetary and real estate interests in Omaha, Lincoln and other western cities. The first published statement of the bank showed, loans and discounts, $90,209; deposits, $236,108. Its last statement, in October, 1887, was as follows: Resources — loans and discounts, $810,605.23; local securities, $5,625.62; real estate and furniture, $SS,ooo; U. S. bonds, $150,000; premium paid on same, $31,125; sight exchange, $417,295.79; redemption fund, $2,250; cash, $175,204.91; expenses and taxes, $13,943.13; total, $1,694,049.68. Liabilities — capital paid in, $250,000; surplus fund, $42,500 (increased to $50,000 November 1); undivided profits, $27,690.02; circulation, $45,000; deposits, $1,328,859.66; total, $1,694,049.68. The eminently wise and conservative management of the Nebraska National Bank has been the means of winning confidence at home and abroad, and no financial institution in the West stands higher in public estimation and regard.]

portance which Omaha experi- enced then and in the years immediately following. The capital of the bank was fixed at $250,000 paid up, the larg- est then of any bank in Neb- raska, and its surplus fund, in addition thereto, is now $50,- 000. The officers and directors are, H. W. Yates, president; Lewis .S. Reed, vice-president; A. E. Touz.alin, second vice- president; W. V. Morse, of \V. V. Morse & Co., John S. Col- lins, of G. H. & J. S. Collins, and W. H. S. Hughes, cashier. President Yates is well known throughout the West and among bankers generally throughout the country, having

the Missouri river, north of the city. It was identified as that of Isaac H. Nefit, and it was shown at the coroner's inquest that he had been murdered. The corpse had been loaded down with log- chains and dumped into the river. Neff had recently come to Omaha from Denver, in company with Tator and several teams and empty wagons. Two or three of the wagons were found near Sulphur Springs. It was also discovered that Tator had started for Denver with one of Neff's teams and wagons. Circumstances went to show that he was the murderer. He was overtaken in Colfax county, and brought back to Omaha, where he was tried, convicted and sentenced to death. The case was prosecuted by Charles H. Brown and Judge Lake, and defended by Hon. A. J. Poppleton and William A. Little. The object of the murder was robbery, it being supposed that

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

Neff had upon his person considerable money. The place of execution was near Sulphur Springs, not far from the scene of the murder. It was witnessed by fully two thousand persons. The prisoner was attended upon the scaffold by Rev. T. B. Lemon, Sheriff Sutton and Marshal Riley, while forty soldiers from Company C, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, acted as a guard. Tator maintained his innocence to the last. He was born in Chatham, Columbia county, New York, in 1833, and was

a lawyer by profession. In 1856 he located in Kansas, where he was twice elected Probate Judge of Lykins county, and also served a term in the Legislature of that State. In 1S60 he went to Colorado, and in 1863 came to Omaha in company with Neff.

The second legal execution in Omaha was that of Ottway G. Baker, who killed Woolscy D. Higgins for the purpose of robbery. The murder was committed on the night of Novem- ber 21, 1866, in the grocery store of Will R. King, at the southeast corner of Farnam and Twelfth streets. Higgins was book-keeper, and Baker was porter of the establishment, and they slept together in the store. After banking hours Higgins had received $1,500 in currency and put it in the safe, the key of which he carried. Baker, who was aware of this

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

deposit of money, got out of bed, and with an axe instantly killed his sleeping companion by two well-directed blows. Securing the keys of the safe, he easily obtained possession of the money, which he placed in a tin can and then hid it under the sidewalk in the imme- diate vicinity. Returning to the store he set hre to the building, and when the flames had made considerable headway he fired, a shot into his arm in order to support a statement that

[ Dr. Victor H. Coffman was born September lo, 1S39, near Zanesville, Ohio. At the age of ten years he moved to Piatt county, Illinois, and thence to Indianola, Iowa, in 1854. For four years he attended the University at Mount Pleasant, and in 1858 he decided to enter the medical profession. He accordingly began the study of medicine with Dr. C. W. Davis, at Indianola, and afterwards attended the Chicago Medical College. The civil war Ijeing in progress, he entered the service of the Union army as

Assistant Surgeon of the Thirty-fourth Iowa Infantry, August 22nd, 1S62, and in 1863 he was promoted to be Sur- geon of the regime • t. He was Division Surg . n with the late Major Gene al Steel, and also with Majo General C. C. Andrews, with whom he was always on the most intimate terms. He was highly appreci- ated by these superior officers. Dr. Coffman was the chief of the operating staff at Vicks- burg. Mobile, and on the cele- brated Red River expedition. During the siege of Mobile in 1864, he distinguished him- self and was brevetted Lieuten- ant-Colonel of volunteers, for meritorious services. H e served also on the Texas coast with General Ransom and Captain Dickey, by whom he was highly complimented. In IngersoU's history of the Iowa troops. Dr. Coffman receives marked mention. The histo- rian, reflecting the sentiment of the officers and soldiers, in relating the valuable and gallant services of the Doctor says that " he is one of the the esteem and confidence of the community, and there is t was one of the organizers of the Omaha Medical College, an

best of surgeons and of men." He was a great favorite with the army during his connec- tion with it. For a brief period following the close of the war he was on duty with the Seventeenth Infantry, U. S. A., as Contract .Surgeon, at Houston, Texas. Although having gained valuable sur- gical experience in the field, he did not feel content with his medical knowledge, and he accordingly went to Phila- delphia and there finished his education in Jefferson Medi- cal College, from which he graduated in 1866. Dr. Coff- man located in Omaha, April 14, 1S67, and soon became one of the leading physicians of Nebraska — a rank which he has ever since held. His practice amounting to $25,000 during the year 18S7, is by no

quently called to distant points to perform difficult surgical operations. He performed the first operation for ovariotomy in Nebraska, since which he has had several successful operations. Dr. Coffman has physician in Omaha who stands higher in the profession. He itution which has been growing steadily since its opening in 1881.

VICTOR H. COFFMAN.

He was elected in iS8r as professor of theory and practice, and has ever since been connected with the college. He is a member of the American Medical Association and also of the Nebraska State Society. In the practice of his profession he has been proverbially kind to the poor. His books show an indebtedness of non-collectible bills of over one hundred thousand dollars during his twenty years' practice in the city of Omaha. Dr. Coffman has an extensive personal knowledge of the various States of the Union, especially as to sanitary conditions, and he unhesitatingly claims that Nebraska is the healthiest region of this country, and that Omaha is the healthiest city on the continent, and that no epidemics prevail here, and that all diseases are here amenable to treatment. Dr. Coffman was married September 10, 1879, in the city of Chicago, to Miss Rose Devoto. They have three children — Weir D., Augusta Marie, and Rose Lyle — and reside in one of the most elegant homes in Omaha, located on St. Mary's avenue and Twenty- seventh street.]

he intended to make, to the effect that the store had been burglarized and fired by some unknown party who had shot him. Throwing the pistol away, he ran out and yelled " Fire ! murder! thieves!" The fire was extinguished and the butchered body of Higgins found. Suspicion pointed at once to Baker, whose story was not believed. He was arrested, tried and convicted. The attorneys for the prosecution were Hon. G. W. Doane and Hon. John I. Redick. The prisoner was defended by Col. Savage, Ben Sheiks, Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Parks. The Supreme Court overruled the motion for a new trial, and affirmed the sentence

OMABA ILLUSTRATED.

of death. Seeing that there was no longer any hope, Baker made a full confession, not only of this crime but of setting fire to the block of frame buildings, the site of which is now covered by Central Block, on Farnam street. He \vas hanged February 14, 1S68,

about a quarter of a mile west of the High School grounds, in the presence of about eight thousand people.

During the year 1856 everybody had plenty of money and times were generally good. Every- body seemed prosperous, and real estate specula- tion was then, as now, very active. The cit}-

grew rapidly during that \-ear, and reached a popu- lation of about 1,800. A city charter was granted by the Legislature in Feb- ruary, 1857, and the first election was held on the first Monday in March, 1857, the result being as follows: Jesse Lowe, Mayor ; L. R. Tuttle, Recorder ; J. A. M ler, City Marshal ; Charl Grant, City Solicitor; Lym; Richardson, Assessor; A. S. Morgan, City Engineer; A. Chappcl, Health Officer; A. D. T. G. Goodwill, G. C. Bovey, H. H. Visscher, Thomas Davis, William N. Byers, Willi Wyman, Thomas O'Connor, C. H. Downs, J. H. Kellonc, and James Creighton, Counci

Jones, am W.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

The council met and organized on the 5th of March. The first ordinance passed was to prevent swine from running- at large. In May, 1S57, an ordinance was passed dividing the city into three wards.

The panic of 1857 is a subject upon which the old settlers dwell with considerable interest, as not one of them escaped the disastrous effects of that memorable collapse. There was a great inflation of the currency at the time, and prosperity continued through-

[Mr. J. J. Dickey, general superintendent of the Western Union Telegraph Company for the district west of the Missouri river with headquarters in Omaha, has been a resident of this city since 1869. He is the son of the late Judge T. Lyle Dickey, of Illinois, and was born at Rushville in that State, April 1 1, 1S39. At the early age of sixteen, having made rapid progress in his studies, he became a school teacher in Missouri. He taught for one winter in that State, and the next winter he conducted a school in Iowa. In

1857 he attended Bell's Com- mercial College in Chicago, and for the next three years he earned a livelihood as a bookkeeper. This time he learned the art of telegraphy in the private office of Judge John D. Caton, in Ottawa, Illinois, becoming quite pro- ficient in a very short period. For five years he was em- ployed as general book- keeper for the Illinois & Mis- sissippi Telegraph Company at Ottawa. When the lines of this company were leased to the Western Union, Mr. Dickey was transferred to the office of the general super- intendent of the latter com- pany at Chicago as chief clerk. In August, 1869, he was promoted to the position of superintendent of the Union Pacific lines at Omaha. He also became superintend- ent of the Western Union in 1881. During the summer uf 1887 Mr. Dickey's coniiec tion with the Union Pacific telegraphic service was severed in order that he might devote his undivided

J. J. DICKEY.

attention to the affairs of the Western Union, and he was accordingly made the gen- eral western superintendent of that company with a more extended jurisdiction. His territory now includes Ne- braska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, and part of Iowa, Missouri, California and Oregon. Mr. Dickey's effi- ciency in the telegraphic service has been long dem- onstrated, and his faithful work has been appreciated. When the telephone was in- troduced to the public in 1876, there were very few persons who believed in its practicability. The public looked upon it more as a toy than as an instrument of great practical use in every- day business life. Mr. Dickey, however, was not one of the doubters. He saw at once that it was one of the greatest inventions of the age, and when an oppor- tunity was affiarded him of investing in it he did not hesi-

tate to take advantage of the offlsr. He organized a company with some considerable difficulty, as his railroad friends, whom he soli- cited for subscriptions, were slow to believe that they were not throwing away their money. However, he finally succeeded, and as soon as possible put in operation a telephone exchange in this city. Omaha was among the very first cities to make use of this great public convenience. Mr. Dickey and his associates extended the system throughout the West, and now own all the exchanges in Neb- raska, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. Mr. Dickey makes Omaha his home, and is ranked among the most respected citizens.]

out the earl}' part of 1S57; but the Ohio Trust Compan}''s failure late in the suminer started a panic, and then ensued a long period of depression. Banks all over the country rap- idly suspended one after the other. Most of the financial institutions in the West in those days were of a " wild cat " character, and Nebraska had its share of them. The most extensive banking institution in Nebraska at that time was the Western li!xchange Fire and Marine Insurance Company. Leroy Tuttle was the cashier, and A. U. W\-man was the teller. Each of these gentlemen afterwards filled the high and responsible posi- tion of treasurer of the United States, and Mr. Wyman is now vice-president of the Omaha National Bank. The Western Exchange Fire and Marine Insurance Company's bank failed in October, 1857, and within a few months thereafter every bank in Nebraska, with the

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

exception of two or three, closed its doors. The Bank of Dakota, operated by Augustus Kountze, was one of the very few financial institutions that weathered the storm. It re- deemed its entire circulation at par. The city of Omaha issued, during this year, $100,000 in city scrip for the completion of the Capitol Building. This scrip, which passed current when first issued, gradually depreciated until it became almost worthless. It was never

THE "BEE" BUILDING

redeemed except in the payment of taxes, for which some of it was used. This of course added to the general depression in Omaha, which continued throughout 1S5S. Men who but a short time before were in prosperous circumstances, found themselves financially embarrassed, business came to a standstill, real estate declined to nominal figures, and a despondent feeling everywhere prevailed. The population of Omaha decreased during the years 1858-59, and it was not until about 1S61 that the city resumed its growth in any noticeable degree. The Colorado gold discoveries contributed much to Omaha's benefit, as a large portion of

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

the travel passed through this city, making it for a time a lively outfitting and merchan- dising point. This travel kept up until 1S64, and the merchants did a rushing business.

Omaha and vicinity had several Indian scares during the early days. One of these was what was called "the Pawnee War," in the summer of 1859. Messengers brought the news to Omaha on July ist that the settlements along the Elkhorn were being raided b)' Pawnee

[Hon. Joseph H. Millard was born in iSs6 in H-imilton, C fourteen years of age he moved to Iowa, and theie spent some jei he came to Omaha and engaged in the real e^trte business. He Tenth streets. His princip.al business was the locating and enteii Barrows, Millard & Co. was formed he became a part- ner, and soon after the or- , '" ganization of the company they started a bank in the Western Exchange build- ing, at the southwest corner of Farnam and Twelfth streets. This building, which was one of the pio- neer landmarks of Omaha, was recently torn down to make room for a more stately structure. The late S. S. Caldwell was associa ted with them in the bank ing business. When the gold mines were discoveied in Montana in the spung of 1864, .Mr. Millaid went to that territory and earned on a banking business at Virginia City and Helena for over two years Re turning to Omaha in the fall of 1866, he became associated with the Omaha National Bank on January ist, 1867, the organization of this bank having been effected in July, 1866. Mr. Millard has been connected with this bank since that

affairs of the bank, and is very popular among its patrons as well as an: Miss Carrie G. Barrows, of Davenport, Iowa. They have two children

HON

la, his piicnts having mo\ed there from New Jersey. When n a faim In the fall of 185b, when he was twenty years of age, nied an office in a small building near the corner of Farnam and ^f wild lands foi \aiious paities When the real estate firm of time, and for the last four years has been its presi- dent. The bank occupies a handsome five story building on the west side of Thirteenth street, be- tween Douglas and Far- nam, in the very heart of the city. The capital is $50o,ocK3, and the surplus is $350,000. This bank under the careful superin- tendence of Mr. Millard and his faithful .associates, ranks among the most solid financial institutions in the \\est Ml Milhid, who lia Republican, sened one teim ab M'i\oi of Omaha, ^ and was foi si\ )ciis a go\einnient ducLtoi uf the Union Pacihc Ihcseaie thL onU public offices he his e\Li held. Although fiequently uiged by his fiiendb to be a candidate for office, he has, as a 1 ule, refrained from actively par- ticipating in politics. He is a safe and conservative business man, and a suc- cessful financier. He de- votes his time wholly to the Millard was married in 1S61 to iie H. Millard.]

H. MILLARD.

iig the public generally. Mr -W. B. .Millard .and Miss Jes

Indians, and immediate assistance was needed to repel them. It was reported that the Indians numbered between 700 and 800 warriors. Hon. John M. Thayer, who was Major General of the Nebraska Militia, at once started for the front with the Light Artillery company, of Omaha, under the command of Captain James H. Ford. Upon reaching Fontenelle, General Thayer found the reports concerning the depredations were true, and that the settlements for fifty miles had been broken up. He sent a report to that effect to Governor Black, and stated that vigorous measures would have to be immediately taken. Governor Black thereupon organized quite a strong force, and joined General Thayer on July 8th. The command consisted of the Oinaha Light Artillery, the First Dragoons, the Second Dragoons, the Fontenelle Mounted Rifles, the Columbus Infantry, and the Columbus Guards, numbering altogether about 200 men, well armed and equipped. The "war" lasted only a few days. The Indians were overhauled and brought to terms. In his report General Thayer thus sums up the campaign : " The troops caine upon the Indians and the Indians surrendered. The line was formed, the cannon was planted, and the chiefs of all the

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

different bands came forward, throwing down their arms and raising white flags. The interpreter was directed to communicate with them, and they asked to have T council. They acknowledged that their young men had committed these depredations, and offered to give them up, and did bring forward six, who were delivered up. Two of them were shot

as thej were trying to escape, the next day. The guard so informed me I did not sec it done Another Indian scare

occurred m 1864 and additional ear was created b} a rumor that Ouantrell's band of bushwhackers from K msas intended to ni ik(. a raid Omiha. One morn- ing in the latte

TRINITY CATIIEIIRAL.

part of August, settlers in the vicinity of Elkhorn became frightened at the appearance of Indians, and they flocked into Omaha. Great excitement ensued. Business was suspended, and a strong guard was at once organized to protect the city. This guard was maintained for two weeks. Owing to the depredations of Indians along the overland stage and mail route in the western part of the territory, Governor Alvin Saunders made a call for

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

militia. Two regiments of mounted infantry, each composed of six companies of sixty-four men, were called for — one north of the Platte and the other south of the Platte — the term of service being four months. Under this call seven companies were raised, among them being the following at Omaha: Company A — R. T. Beall, captain; George C. Yates, first lieutenant; J. H. Barlow, second lieutenant. Company B — -John Taffe, captain; Edwin

[Charles W. Hamillon, president of the United States National York. Until he was about eighteen years of age he attended the public employed in various kinds of work on the farm. He arrived in Omaha mercantile business. In the spring of 1S62 Mr. Hamilton entered the and in 1865 he became a

ank, was born January 1st, 1S31, in Chenango county, New chools during the winters, and during his vacations he was 1 May, 1856. For two or three years he was engaged in the ■rvice of Barrows, Millard & Co., bankers, as book-keeper, and Iowa Ferry Company,

member of the firm, the l)Msi-^ and it was immediately occu- name then being changed to ^ I ™*~ ^ pied upon completion by the Millard, Caldwell & Co. In / ^ Western Fire and Marine In- 1S68 the firm name was \ \^ surance Company, which did again changed, this time to „ a general banking business. Caldwell, Hamilton & Co. ' ]\ When this company failed in This old established private / *|n the famous panic of 1857, banking firm which was or- Sl'^lB^ ' ^"'^ vacated the building, it ganized in 1856, was reor- ^ I^HgJji was succeeded in that location ganized in 1883 as the United ^' ^^ .-.j^ by Barrows, Millard & Co. States National Bank with a J^ &^ ^'''^ °^''^ landmark of pioneer capital of f 100,000, and with jtSB^ '• 4 .<^^Sj^ '^^^^ ^^^^ '"'" 'i°^^" >" Ae Mr. Hamilton as president. S^M''^ S--^^^^^ spring of 1887, and during The capital was increased in i^KiYm, ' t ' ^ ~ ' 'he summer one of the hand- as the Western Exchange jf ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ '^^^^^^^^ architectural design it pre-

the first brick building in ^'' Omaha. It has a frontage of

Omaha. It was built by J>^ 66 feet on Farnam street and

three or four gentlemen con- -" 132 feet on Twelfth street.

... -, , , CH \M I a W II will TON _,.,.,,. ^ .

nected with the Nebraska This building cost $130,000,

and was erected by the heirs of the Caldwell estate is a niLmoml of the 1 He Hon & b Cildwcll, who was for many years a member of the firm of Caldwell, Hamilton & Co. The design of the building is in accordance with the ideas of Mr. Caldwell, who before his dealh had determined to erect for the bank such a structure as its permanent home. Mr. Hamilton, president of the bank, is a safe, conservative business man, and has the confidence of the entire community in which he has resided during the greater part of his life. He was married in 1858 to Miss Fannie Murphy of this city. They have six children. The oldest son, C. Will Hamilton, is assistant cashier in the United States National Bank. Frank Hamilton, the second son, is paying teller in the Merchants National. Millard Caldwell Hamilton, the third son, is student at Cornell University and will graduate in 1888. The two daughters, Stella and May, are attending school, and Frederick, the youngest son, is at home.]

Patrick, first lieutenant; Abraham Deyo, second lieutenant. Company C — Charles S. Good- rich, captain; Martin Dunham, first lieutenant; David T. Mount, second lieutenant. Company D — Jesse Lowe, captain; E. Estabrook, first lieutenant; O. B. Selden, second lieutenant. A gun squad was also organized, and officered by E. P. Childs, captain, and A. J. Simpson, first lieutenant. Captain Taffe's company made quite an extended scout up the Elkhorn river, but found no hostile Indians. This result quieted the fears of the settlers who had fled into Omaha, and thereupon they all returned to their homes. The other companies performed the duties of home guard in Omaha. A company of volunteer cavalry under Captain John R. Porter made a scout as far west as Plum Creek, near which point they had a skirmish with a party of Pawnees, killing fourteen of them and taking three prisoners. This company also

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED,

did valuable service in escorting supply trains from Julesburg to Fort Kearney. Captain E. P. Childs raised a company of artillery and went to Fort Kearney, where he did duty for some little time.

Omaha was well represented in the Union army during the war of the rebellion. The First Nebraska regiment was officered by John M. Thayer, of Omaha, colonel ; H. P. Downs, Nebraska City, lieutenant-colonel ; William McCord, Plattsmouth, major ; Silas A. Strickland, Bellevue, adjutant ; Enos Lowe, Omaha, surgeon ; William McClelland, Omaha,

assistant-surgeon; T. W. Tipton, Brownville, cnaplain; George Spencer, sutler. Captain; Company A, R. R. Livingston, Plattsmouth ; Company B, William Baumer, Omaha ; Comp; C, J. D. N. Thompson; Company D, Allen Blacker; Company E, William G. Moll Omaha ; Company F, Thomas M. Bowen ; Company G, John McConihe ; Company George T. Kennedy ; Company L Jacob Butler ; Company K, Joseph W. Paddock, Om; The first battalion of the Second regiment of Nebraska Volunteers (cavalr\) ■ mustered in at Omaha, November i, 1862, for nine months' service. George Armstrong Omaha, was commissioned as major, and directed the organization of the regiment until companies were mustered in. In February, 1S63, the regiment was completed with the

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

twelve companies, and the following officers : R. W. Furnas, Brownville, colonel ; W. F. Sapp, Omaha, lieutenant-colonel ; John Taffe, Dakota City, and John W. Pearman, Nebraska City, majors ; Dr. Aurelius Bowen, Nebraska City, and Dr. W. S. Latta, Plattsmouth, surgeons ; H. M. Atkinson, Brownville, adjutant. The nine months' service of this regiment expired in September, 1863, and thereupon George Armstrong raised the First Battalion of Nebraska

	[Oscar F.	Davi	S ii^nv ,1
Vl\	.0 left an endu	rill-	ini|.rrs, ,
wi	nsville, on the	o'l"""	f Maul,,
When he was 23	year-	; uf aje 1
en	1 settlement.	For !	iix years
Ml	r. Davis made	that	city his
ho	me thnngh	not
th.	iL bun^' ens;i,L,l	11, gov
til	uiiLiU sune\s	(ULl	thLNibt
sei	lionuf «hn.
COl	imtiy an.l is „.	.« e 1	mpns.d
in	the Sntes ,.	f \\i	■M-oiism,
Ml	iiiiuwn I„«	I ini	1 Is Lb'

1S56, when

Clt ,	1 llLlL 11	1 th	L sun Lying
nnd,	UllLllgU	lecii	ngbusniLss
He	was city ei	igineei t«o
teims In 1	[S67	XV hen thL
Union Picfic R	ulioad XX as
ntai	in;; c .m]	l>kt,	on and its
\ ivt	^1 iiiti 0	fill	id XX Lie be
Lomi	n^ 111 im	poll	int LhugL,
Ml	Dim. ^M	» en	tl listed XMlh
then	imn-igLi	ncnl	t and XX as
SUtL	"Sbfiil tin	it tl	iL folloxxin.
yLii	he XV as	api	lomtLd Ian 1
comi	nissionti		lliL LOipoia
tion,	uhich ],.	JMll	on hL hllLd

L'd, xvas among the earlier settlers of Omaha, and was one of those men of strong, high character the community. Mr. Davis was born in Onondaga county, Nexv York, near the village of Bald- '. On groxving to manhood he dex'oted himself to the study of surveying and civil engineering. .ight a broader field and came West, locating at Dubuque, Iowa, then considered an e.xtreme xvest-

xvith the vast tide of immi- gration which surged into the West on the completion of the Union Pacific road and the opening up to settlement of the rich lands it trax'erses, Mr. Davis gave most valuable service not only to the cor- poration employing him but also to every nexv settler who had dealings with him, and their name xvas legion. In 1S78 Mr. Davis' health began to be impaired from ox'er ap- plication to his duties and he rrsigned. He established a iL al estate business in the city ill xvhich he continued up to the time of his death, which occurred June 4, 1SS7. In recounting thus briefly Mr. Davis' career, omission must not be made of mention of his services as a member of the territorial Legislature, and also as provost marshal at Omaha for txvo years during the xvar of the rebellion. Mr. D.avis was a conscientious Christian gentleman, honor- able in all his dealings and respected by all who knew his faith in the city's future. His demise &3, Miss Sarah F. Dickinson of

for a peiiod of twclxe yeais It wasduiing this time that Mr Dax is became best knoxxn to the people of thL West Biought into close lelations him. He w.as a quiet, conser' was generally deplored. His Syracuse, New York.]

Veteran Cavalry, and was commissioned as major commanding. This battalion was after- wards consolidated with the Nebraska First, which had returned from the South. The con- solidated organization was known as the First Regiment of Nebraska \"eteran Cavalry.

A battalion called Curtis' Horse, consisting of four companies, was also organized, being principally recruited in Omaha. This battalion was consolidated with the Fifth Iowa cavalry, the officers being : W. W. Lowe, Omaha, colonel ; M. T. Patrick, Omaha, lieutenant- colonel ; W. B. McGeorge, adjutant ; Enos Lowe, Omaha, surgeon ; B. T. Wise, assistant surgeon ; Jerome Spellman, chaplain. Company A was commanded by Captain J. J. Lowe, Omaha ; Company B by Captain John T. Croft, Omaha ; Company C by Captain Morris Young ; Company D by Captain Harlan Beard. All these companies were mustered in at Omaha by Lieutenant J. N. H. Patrick. Omaha has always been an important military point. Fort Omaha, where a large number of troops are stationed, was established in 1868 under the name of Sherman barracks. Omaha has for many years been the headquarters and supply depot of the Department of the Platte.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

It has already been stated, in this brief sketch of Omaha in the early days, that the first preacher was Rev. Peter Cooper, a Methodist clergyman, who came over from Council Bluffs to spread the Gospel among the pioneers. The next minister was Rev. Isaac F. Collins, also a Methodist. Next came Rev. William Leach, a Baptist. In September of the same year, 1S55, Rev. Reuben Gaylord, a Congregationalist, visited Omaha, and in December he brought his family here and permanently located. The first Congregational church building

'M^^m^m

MERCHANTS NATIONAL BANK.

erected in Omaha was a small brick structure. It is still standing, and forms a part of the large frame building now occupied as the city hall, at the northwest corner of Farnam and Sixteenth streets. The little church is attached to the rear of this building, at the northwest corner, and cannot be seen from the street. At the farewell services held in this church in 1867, preparatory to occupying other quarters. Rev. Mr. Gaylord delivered a sermon in which he gave his reminiscences covering the fourteen years he had been in Omaha. The published

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED,

report of his sermon says : " He commenced preaching in the council chamber, in the old State House, in December, 1855. There was no church organization except a Methodist class of not more than six members. On the 4th of May, 1856, he organized the first Congrega- tional church in Nebraska with nine members, and steps were taken to build a church. The Methodists were then erecting a church on Thirteenth street. By the 26th of October

[Lyman Richardson during the trying days of Omaha's life was one of its sturdiest, strongest citizens. Not an aggressive man, nor one of those who keep themselves to the front, he was yet in line with all progressive movements, a clear-headed, broad-minded man. His career in Omaha dates from the days of manhood, and in the thirty years or more elapsing he has been one of the city's best men. Mr. Richardson was born in Michigan in 1834. After his course in the common schools he entered the State University

Arkansas, engaging in gen- eral land speculation. In 1868 he returned to Omaha and with Dr. Geo. L. Mil- ler purchased the Omaha Herald, the partnership in the publication of that paper continuing until its sale to John A. McShane in March, 1887. During his nearly twenty years connection with the Herald, Mr. Rich- ardson was recognized as a strong factor growth and Quiet and retir and of conserv; ter, his judgn wa)s sound and his voice always for the right. No citizen of Omaha enjoyed a greater share of the respect and confidence of his fellow men than did Mr. Richard- son, and had he been of an ambitious turn of mind might have commanded the distinction of office at any time. But on the contrary, he loved best his private citizenship and the quiet enjoyment of his domestic happiness. He possesses a re and the current topics of the of almost every requirement to

at Ann Arbor, graduating therefrom with honors in 1854 while yet but twenty years of age. About this time Mr. Richardson's father came West to Omaha and hither he was followed by his family early in Janu" ary, 1855. He entered the law office of Judge Geo. B. Lake, and in 1858 was ad- mitted to the bar. The practice of his profession did not possess any allure- ments for him, and on the breaking out of the war Mr. Richardson was among the earliest to respond to Presi- dent Lincoln's first call upon Nebraska for troops. He enlisted in the First Neb- raska Infantry in July, 1862, and was chosen second lieutenant. Two months later he was promoted to a captaincy for his soldierly qualities, serving in that ca- pacity with his regiment until the mustering out at the close of the war. For two or three years after the termination of the rebellion he lived in Little Rock,

studious mind, enjoys the best literature, and is an authority upon matters of fact in history, lite day. Since the sale of the Herald he has been enjoying life, being possessed of a competence afford a man of his disposition content with the world. ]

n Omaha's prosperity. ,ig by nature live charac- jnt was al-

LYMAN RICHARDSON.

the Congregational church was far enough advanced for services to be held in the base- ment. On the 9th of August, the building having been completed, the dedication sennon was preached. The Episcopalian church was the next organized, in the old State House, in 1856. An Old School Presbyterian church was formed in June, 1857, with Rev. Mr. Bergen as minister ; and a New School Presbyterian church was organized in 1S60." Rev. Mr. Gaylord, who died a few years ago, continued as the pastor of the Congregational church until 1864. He was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Stowell, who was followed by Rev. \V. W. Rose, and Rev. E. S. Palmer. Rev. Mr. Sherrill has been the pastor of the First Con- gregational church since 1870. The first church edifice that was completed in Omaha was built by the Roman Catholics. It was a brick structure, on Eighth street, between Harney and Howard, and was standing until a few years ago, when it was torn down to make room for the B. & M. freight depot. The Catholic Cathedral on Ninth street was built about the year 1866. The Methodists built the second church in Omaha, in 1S56, on a lot

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

donated by the ferry company, on Thirteenth street, between Farnam and Douglas, the site now being covered by the Omaha National Bank. The Episcopalian congregation of Trinity church was organized by Rev. G. W. Watson in 1856, and in 1859 a small brick church was built on the southwest corner of Farnam and Ninth streets, on ground leased for ten years. The building ever since 1869 has been used as a beer-hall under the name of the Tivoli.

Very few of the old landmarks remain to mark the pioneer period. The steady march of improvement has swept them out of sight and replaced them with stately structures of modern design. When the United States Bank tore down its old building at the southwest corner of Farnam and Twelfth streets, in the spring of 188" and erected on the site a five-story structure.

BROWNELL HALL.

[Brownell Hall, a seminary for young ladies, is incorporated under a board of fifteen trustees, of which the Bishop of Nebraska is ex-officio president. The school was opened in the northern part of the city, but was removed to the corner of Sixteenth and Jones streets in 1S67, where buildings were erected and occupied for twenty years, the school steadily growing in public confidence and increasing in usefulness under the rectorship and management, for the last twelve ye.irs, of the Rev. Robert Doherty, S. T. D. The progress of the school, as well as the city, at length demanded a more suitable location and enlarged accommodations, and a beautiful site was chosen on South Tenth street, in a natural grove of fine forest trees, the gift of Mr. H. Kountze, and the new Hall was begun in 1SS6, and occupied in January, 18S7. The building is plain, but of imposing appearance, owing to its size ; is composed of two wings connected by a central building, somewhat after the ground plan of the Capitol at Washington, each of these structures being 100x40 feet, with three stories, an elevated, basement sub-basement and attic. This great building is lighted, healed, finished and furnished according to the latest and most approved plans for educational institutions of this character. It h.as bath rooms, with hot and cold water, on each floor ; electric bells, gongs and speaking tubes connect the most distant parts of the building ; three huge boilers furnish steam, which gives to every room in the building a genial warmth in the coldest weather ; all rooms are perfectly ventilated, and the furniture and finishing throughout are of the most beautiful varieties of our native woods, oiled, polished or varnished. In addition to the spacious recitation rooms, there is a recreation room, an oratory and gj-mnasium, furnishing ample opportunities for needed and healthful exercise. Altogether it is a thoroughly appointed school and elegant Christian home, and with its enlarged facilities its usefulness is practically without limit as a training school for young Ladies in the West, while its success reflects great credit upon its projectors and steadfast friends, its manager and teachers, the city of Omaha and State of Nebraska.]

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

it destroyed the pioneer brick building of Omaha. This historic house was built in 1855-56 by several members of the old Nebraska Ferry Company. The frame residence now standing on the southwest corner of Dodge and Eighteenth streets was built by Secretary Cuming in 1S56. General Lowe's brick dwelling, at the southwest corner of Harney and Sixteenth streets, was erected by the late Dr. Lowe in 1857. Governor John M. Thayer built the brick house at the

[Eleazer Wakeley was born in Homer, Co J in a marked degree the intelligence anc

■tlandt county. New York, in 1S22. His parents virtues of New England people. He migrated ■

natives of Conn

the same State and in 1836 removed with them to Elyria, a pretty town Cowles, a distinguished scholar and linguist, he completed his educati< mitted to the bar in 1844. In the fall of the following year his inclination led him to follow the course of civi- lization and he came West. Locating at Whitewater, in Southern Wisconsin, he practiced his profession in the Circuit and Supreme Courts until 1857. lu the meantime Mr. Wakeley was elected a representative to the Territorial Legisla- ture in 1847, and was State Senator from Walworth county from 1851 to 1855. He took a prominent part in the work of the Legislature, and among his colleagues were men then and after- wards distinguished in the State. In January, 1857, without solicitation he was offered and accepted the ap- pointment by President Franklin Pierce as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Nebraska, and was assigned to the third district, comprising Washington and organized counties north of it to the line, and all the unor- ganized territory to the west

. Norther . He to

under the tuition of Prof. John P. s reading of the law and was ad-

and north of thii

compns-

JUDGE ELE\ZER WAKELEY.

ing an area of about 350,000 square miles. Judge Wake- ley resided in Washington county and in Omaha during his term, being re-appointed by President Buchanan. A few months after President Lincoln's inauguration he returned to Wisconsin, re- suming the law at Madison where he built up a highly successful practice. In 1863 he ran for Attorney-General on the Democratic State ticket, and in 1866-67 rep- resented the capitol district in the Legislature. Judge Wakeley became so impress- ed with Omaha during his stay here that he returned and took up his permanent residence in this city in 1S67. .Abstaining from politics he engaged in an active and la- borious practice of his profes- sion until 18S3. He served in the Constitutional Conven- tion of 1871. In 1SS3 at the urgent and unanimous re- quest of the bar of Douglas county he was appointed one of the District Judges by

Governor Dawes, and the same autumn was elected unanimously on the ticket with Judge Neville for four years. At the recent election as a candidate on the non-partisan ticket he received 4,700 majority. As a judicial officer, Judge Wakeley has no superior. He is regarded as a leader in his profession and as especially fitted for the position of magistrate. His profound erudition, legal acumen, deep learning, fair and impartial tone of mind and clear intuition of right and wrong have served him so well on the bench that he is universally spoken of as the "Just Judge." His private life is of the most exemplary character. Of unblemished integrity and strict morality, his career has been such as to commend it to all young men as an example. Judge Wakcley's domestic life has been a happy one. He was married in 1854 to Miss Sabina S. Comstock at Whitewater, Wisconsin, and the union has resulted in six children, four young men grown to manhood and two daughters. He is largely of a domestic nature. The bent of his mind has been more professional than political. He has always resided where his party has been in the minority, and although a Democrat is not an aggressive nor an intolerant one.]

northeast corner of Davenport and Sixteenth streets, in 1857, and T. G. Goodwill erected the brick house just east of it during the same year. Major George Armstrong built the brick house on the north side of Dodge street, between Fourteenth and Fifteenth, in 1S57, and the next year he erected the brick dwelling on the south side of Dodge, between Sixteenth and Seventeenth streets, which was for many years and until quite recently owned and occupied by Mr. Aaron Cahn. The brick house on the north side of Dodge, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets, the property of the estate of James G. Chapman, was built in 1856. The Herndon House, which now forms the greater portion of the reconstructed Union Pacific headquarters building, was erected in 1857 by George Bridge, Dr. George L. Miller and Lyman

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

Richardson. It was opened in elegant style by M. W. Keith, and was in those days the finest and largest hotel west of Chicago. It proved too great an enterprise for Omaha, however,

[The Millard Hotel is a model of comfort and elegance, the result of the combined skill and judgment of its proprietors, Messrs. Markel & Swobe. It occupies the full half-square at tlie comer of Thirteenth and Douglas streets and is a fine live story building, with an attractive frontage on both streets of pressed brick and stone. It is one of the features of Omaha, and no place in the city offers a better starting point for tourists and visitors than the Millard. When the Grand Central Hotel was burned, Omaha was left without a lirst class hotel at the very time when one was most needed. l lie want did not remain long unfilled, for a syndicate of enterprising capitalists was soon formed to build the Millard. This syndicate was formed of .Messrs. J. E. Markel, Thomas Swobe, Samuel Shears, J. H. Milhiril and George Giacomini. I'hey purchase.l the ground and conimence<l e^Lciivations in Mav.lSSi. The

MILLARD HOTEL.

house was named the Millard in honor of one of the owners and the highly esteemed and influential family of that name. It was opened to the public in July, 1882, when but four stories were finished, the house containing but 130 rooms ^t the time. Within sixty days the other story was added, and up to the present time two further additions have been made, one of twenty-two feet on the east and another containing forty additional rooms to the rear. The house now contains over two hundred rooms fitted with the finest furniture of any hotel in the State. The two capacious public parlors arc luxurious in their elegance and some of the choicest rooms are furnished with a lavish disregard of expense. The Millard, in every department, is admirably appointed and possesses all the modern improvements and conveniences that serve to make hotel life pleasant. There is absolutely no danger from fire. It is not only equipped with Benner's patent stand pipes and fire escapes, but has six fire walls running through and through the building. The kitchens and boiler rooms have been made absolutely fire-proof and the balance of the house is heated by steam. .V full fircc of night employes are trained for an emergency and the danger from the most dreaded of all calamities — hotel fire-. is i^!:; i t.i tlie very minimum. The house has one of the coziest office lobbies in the world and this, with down floor arrangcni 1,1 1 , mh.rt of male guests, makes the Millard the strong favorite it is with the traveling public. The improvements that wen n 1 ; miner

comprised, among other items, one of $10,000 for plumbing, and the house has now the most approved and conq 1. :.■ 1 i\ nnd

sanitary arrangement in the West. Every particle of water used is filtered and purified, a genuine blessing to one familiar with the consistency of Missouri river mud at certain seasons of the year. The Millard is a favorite with local societies and political committees and has long been the headquarters of the Republican State Central Committee. Special quarters arc provided by the management for the accommodation of committees, a room being reserved for such gatlierings and fitted up solely for that The present owners, .Messrs Markel & Swobe, have been identified with the Millard from the first. Mr. Giae.Miiihi ij 1 •W his share to the remaining four; then Shears, Markel and Swobe purchased Mr. Millard's interest, and in i8S(>. A ^ of his stock to the two remaining partners. These gentlemen have the most extensive hotel experience and 1 1

having also, as the Pacific Hotel Company, control of eighteen hotels on the line of the Union Pacific Railway, tli. , i 1, anyone who has traveled over that road can testify. The Millard is under the direct management of Frank McDonald, a t^ of the highest social qualities and deservedly popular with the guests. A. G. Davenport has held the position of head clerk since the house opened, a most gratifying testimonial of the regard and confidence of the public and his employers. The same can be said of Mr. C. C. Hulett, the cashier, who has occupied the position ever since five months after the hotel was opened. J. E. Strong is key clerk and Frank Watson does the honors to the belated traveler and night guests. The culinary department is under the management gf 0. N. Davenport, a steward who has made the Millard famous throughout the West.]

uposc. -e.l of

-posed West, which

llcman

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

and it brought financial disaster to all who were connected with it. After passing through various hands it came into the possession of Dr. Gilbert C. Monell, who rented it to the Union Pacific in 1870, for its general offices, which had occupied the old State House on Ninth street, just opposite. In 1875 the Union Pacific purchased the property for $42,000, and the building has from time to time been reconstructed, enlarged and otherwise improved.

[John C. Cowin was born in Wavrensville, Ohio, on the Ilth day of January, 1846. At an early age his father, a fanner of very limited means, died, and he was brought to face the World for himself in the encounter for daily existence. His first employ- ment was upon a farm, the me.igre income from which was set aside for the procurement of a better education than was afforded in the neighboring district school. He enlered Iluam Electic Institute, of which James A. Garfieia, afteiwards the Chief Magistrate of the nation, was presi- of his official service

that he was the most effective Prosecuting Attorney the district ever had, being a ter- ror to criminals and offenders against the law. On retiring from the Prosecutor's office Mr. Cowin 's friends brought him forward in 1876 as a candidate for the Republican nomi- nation for Congress, Nebraska at that time having but one mem- ber in the national House of Representa- tives. After a vigorous canvass, in which the then dominant railroad power was pitted against him , Mr. Cowin was barely defeated in his party convention. • He had incurred the hostility of the rail- roads because of his vigorous and success- ful conduct of a suit against the Union Pa- cific Railroad, to which the Treasurer of Doug- las and other counties were parties, the point at issue being the taxa- bility by the Slate and municipalities of the lands granted by the Government, ■ and which involved many

dent, and was the re- cipient of m.any kind- nesses at his hands in the struggle for an education on limited means. On the break- ing out of the war Mr. Cowin enlisted as a pri- vate in the Twenty- third Ohio Infantry, and participated in numerous engage- ments, among the more notable being those of Carnifax Ferry, the second battle of BiUl Run, South Mountain and Antietam. When the war had terminated he had risen to a cap taincy. He returned to Ohio, taking a law- course in the Ohio State and Union Law College, at Cleveland, Ohio, at the same time entering the law office of Backus & Eslep. On graduating and re- ceiving his diploma, in the spring of 1867, he moved West, reaching Omaha in April .if that year, and here lie has since remained. He was elected to the off- ice of District Attorney in the fall of 1868. Two years later he was re-elected. It said hundreds of thousands of doll.irs. The triumph of which he is still justly proud, friends as a Republican candidate for Uii an intense strife developed. Mr. Cowin one or two votes of the requisite number which resulted in a compromise, and Ge

HON. JOHN C. COWIN.

se was taken to the Supreme Court at Washington, and decided in Mr. Cowin's favor, a In the campaign of 18S2 Mr. Cowin was again brought forward by his hosts of admiring •d States Senator. When the Legislature was convened and b.illoting for Senator began, 1 .all other candidates in the party caucus, and during two weeks of balloting was within lit as is usu.il in such intense strife, a combination was made against the strongest candidate, mI Manderson was chosen. Mr. Cowin has been remarkably successful in his profession, ranking among the very foremost members of the bar of Nebraska. He is of a geniiil, kindly nature, a man of fine intellectual attainments, great oratorical powers and distinguished presence. He commands the respect and confidence of the people in a marked degree, and should ambition move him to it, may yet enjoy high political distinction. Mr. Cowin was married in 1S70 to Ella L. Benton, of Cleveland, and enjoys the domestic bliss of a charming family.]

The pioneers of Omaha formed "The Old Settlers Association," in January, 1866. It was composed entirely of citizens who had located here prior to the year 1S58. The officers were : Dr. Enos Lowe, president ; Dr. George L. Miller, vice-president, and A. D. Jones,

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

secretary. A re-union of "Old Settlers" was held at the Herndon House on the evening of January i, 1867. The honorary managers were : Dr. Enos Lowe, Hon. A. S. Paddock, Hon. A. J. Poppleton, Colonel Lewis Merrill, Jesse H. Lace\', Francis Smith, Hadley D. Johnson, Hon. John \. Redick, Major- General Philip St. George Cook, Brigadier-General Myers, Jas. M. Woolworth, James Megeath, Thomas Davis, Dr. Gilbert C. Monell, Major J. W. Paddock, and Augustus Kountze. The floor managers were : J. F. Coffman, George Wallace, Reuben Wood, A. S. Patrick, and George M. Lloyd. The " Old Settlers' Association," however, had only a brief existence, expiring some time in 1868. The following is an incomplete list of well- known old settlers, with the

dates upon which they first stepped upon Nebraska William D. Brown,* June 3, 1850; Enos Lowe,* June 25, 185; A. D. Jones, November, 1853; C. H. Downs, April 23, 1854

RESIDENCE OF ELMER D FR\NK

those marked thus [*] ha

1855; David Richards, April, 1855; R. N. Withnell, May 2, 1855 ; E. H. Warner, May 10, 1855 ; John Logan, July 9, 1855 ; O. John .P McPherson, October 25, 1855 ; Rev. Reuben Gaylord,*

g died : H. D. Johnson, October, 1853 ; Addison R. Gilmore,* May 24, 1854; William P. Snowden, July II, 1854; O. B. Selden,* September 23, 1S54; J. \\\ Paddock, September 24, 1854; William Gray, Sep- tember, 1S54; O. D. Rich- ardson, September, 1S54; John Withnell, October, 1854 ; S. E. Rogers, Octo- ber, 1854; A. J. Poppleton, October 13, 1854 ; Loren Miller, October 19, 1854 ; George L. Miller, October 19, 1854 ; Jas. G. Megeath, November, 1854; Lyman Richardson, January, 1S55 ; E. Estabrook, June 23, 1855 ; John Davis, March 16, 1855 ; John Evans, March, 1855 ; H. H. Visscher, April 3, 855 ; Edwin Patrick, May 7, P. Ingalls, September 7, 1855 ; December 25, 1855 \ Moses

OMAHA tLLUSTRATEfy.

Shum, April, i8S5; J- M. Marsten, November i8, 1855; W. W. Wyman,* June 5, 1855; Allen Root, May 16, 1855 ; A. B. Moore, April 22, 1854; D. C. Sutphen, September 4, 1857 ; H. B. Paris, November 1$, 1857; M.B.Riley, August 11, 1857; Daniel Gault, May 12, 1857; J. W. Pickard, December 19, 1855 ; S. A. Orchard, November 15, 1S55 ; John H. Sahler, August 29, 1856 ; R. S. Knox, January 3, 1856.

[William J. Connell, a resident of Omaha since April lo, 1S67, is of Scotch descent. He was bom July 10, 1S46, at Cowans- ville, Province of Quebec, about thirty miles from the northern boundary of Vermont. His father, Rev. Daniel Connell, w.as a Con- gregational minister. Mr. Connell is a self-made man. Arriving in Omaha at the age of twenly-one, he began his struggle for fame >rk at anything to earn a livelihood, he gladly accepted a position in the employ of Tootle & Maul, a dry

four years he made a

and fortune. \Villir goods firm. The rou- tine work of a clerk- ship proved too limi- ted a space for the ambi tious young man, and determin- ing to seek a wider and more intellectual field, he decided to enter the legal pro- fession. Beginning his studies in the of- fice of B. E. B. Ken- nedy, he continued them in that of Col. C. S. Chase, and con- cluded his prelimin- ary legal training un- der the tui'tion of Hon. J. M. Wool- worth. In 1870 he was admitted to the bar, and at once be- ginning active prac- tice soon had a large clientage. In 1872 the Republicans elected him to the important office of District Attorney for the Third Judicial District, which then comprised ten coun- ties, including Doug- las and Lancaster. So efficiently did he perform his duties that he was rewarded with a re-election in //■////

1874. During these

spirited and liberal man, and has accumulated a handsome f until he is now ranked among the foremost membeis of the b whether in the practice of his profession, 01 as the leadei of a

record which estab- lished for him a repu- tation as an able law- jer. Retiring from his office he devoted himself to civil prac- tice, in which he proved as capable as he had been in the prosecution of crim- inal cases. Mr. Con- nell was appointed City Attorney in April, 1S83, and held the office for four years,serving through the administration of Mayor Boyd. Mr. Connell saved the uty hundreds of thousands of dollars by his successful de- fense of suits for dam- ages and by his sound legal advice on im- portant questions. He was mainly instru- mental in devising a charter for the city under which all the public improvements that have wrought such a wonderful change in this city became possible. During all these years he has been an active and honorable politician, a public rluiii- Vt the uni. time he has advanced steadily in his profession, r of thib city and State His leputation is that of a persistent fighter, polit cil fiction, 01 as the champion of any cause m which he may be

interested. As a parliamentarian he has few equals. Mr. Connell was married on the 24th of September, 1872, at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, to Miss Mattie Chadwick, and five children have been born to them — Helen, Ralph S., Karl A., Marion and Hazel. His home, "Hillcrest," occupies a beautiful and commanding location on St. Mary's avenue. — A. s.]

Among the early settlers who came to Omaha prior to i860 are the following, the list including many who came here during the years 1855-56: A. J. Hanscom, the Creightons, C. W. Hamilton, Herman Kountze, James G. Chapman,* J. K. Ish,* O. F. Davis,* John Green, Peter Windheim, the Beindorfs, Cam Reeves, the Reeses, Richard Kimball, St. John Goodrich,* Charles S. Goodrich, Ezra Millard,* Joseph H. Millard, the Barkalows, the Dumalls, Timothy Kelly, Dr. Plummer,* Peter Frenzer, Joe Frenzer, J. M. Clark, the McAuslands, H- O. Jones,* Tom Murray, Captain W. W. Marsh, Harrison Johnson,* James Smith, George

OMAHA I LLC ST RA TEf) .

Smith, M. Hellman, Aaron Cahn, William Sexauer, tlie Demarests, John Horbach, G. M. Mills,* George T. Mills, Henry Pundt, Vincent Burkley, Mrs. Frank Coffman,* the Patricks, F. A.

Schneider, Joseph F. Sheely, John M. Sheely, John R. Porter, Harry P. Deuel, John R. Meredith,* Dr. J. P. Peck,* the Roeders, Edwin Loveland,* Fred. Davis, John McCormick,* Josiah S. McCormick, George W. Hanan, Sr.,* the Homan family, F"red Court, Peter Hugus,* Eb Dallow, P. W. Hitchcock,* A. S. Paddock, John Yerger, Sterrit M. Curran,* George Silvester, B}-ron Reed, John Camp- bell,* E. L. Eaton. J. W. Tousley, Rev. W. X. Mc- Candlish,* Joel T. Griffin,*

"HILLCREST"-RESIDENCEOF W. J. O.NNKLL. p.^^,j DrC.Xel, JoSCph Red-

man, David Harpster, Henry Grebe, Charles Karbach, Frank Murphy, James T. Allan,* E. A. Allen, Major George Armstrong, Clinton Briggs,* General John M. Thayer, the Dees, Mrs. W. W. Wyman, Mrs. T. B. Cuming, Mrs. W. D. Brown and family, Mrs. Jesse Lowe and family, F. L. Reef, Le\'i Kennard, G. A. McCoy,* Charles Powell, Ignace Scherb and brother, the Shull family, J. S. Gib- son, the Barkers, Wiley Dixon, John I. Redick, the Yates family, D. Sullivan, Thomas Riley, "John Riley, Frank Dellone, Fred Del- lone, James M. Winship, W. A. Gwyer, \\\ H. S. Hughes, B. E. B. Kenne- dy, the Hartmans, James E. Boyd, William A. Pax- ton, George W. Doane, Frank Kleffncr, A. N. Frick, D. Whitney, E. B.

Chandler, the Medlocks, residence of j. w. Griffith.

Father Curtis,* Peter Malone, Michael and Jerry T.inahan, Paul and A P. Birkett, Jerry Mahoney, Edward Y. Tenner)-, D. S.

J. Harmon, Charles Parmalee, John Lutz, E. V. Smith,

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

bought out his partner and

[Hon. George W. Linmger was born in Chambersburg, Franlilin county, Pennsylvania, December 14, 1834. When a bov of eleven his parents removed to Peru, Illinois ; his education was only such as could be obtained in the common schools of Pennsylvania and lllmois in those early days. He began business for himself at Peru, at the age of twenty, by buying an interest in a stove and tinware store with $200. His business prospered until 1868, when he sold out and removed to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where, with E L Shugart, he engaged in the agricultural machinery and implement business. In 1S72 he removed to Omaha. About a year later he ed the business alone until 1879, when he sold out and took his family abroad. They made a com- plete tour of Great Britain, the Continent, Egypt and the Holy L d Pet " g he o ga ze 1 he L ge i. Met cilfCo pa ) ovlhelagest deale si ag Ut al ma cl e y 1 tl e L ed btites T ve t al oad

recorded proceedings of the English Grand Lodge. Itwas Mr. Lininger's desire to stiulv ^rasonry as it exists in the counlrios of Europe which first took him abroad, and the pursuit of those studies led him into the domain of Art, the result of which has been by far the most extensive and valuable collection of art works in painting, statuary, carving, metal, etc., to be found in the State. Mr LininTcr L something illustrative of the arts in every country in the world where art exists, and without doSbt will be the future establishment of an Art Gallery in Omaha that would do credit to any of work, showing interior views of Mr. Lininger's parlors, give a faint idea of his

claims that he has in his collectio

the result of his labors in this di:

our Eastern cities. The two illustrations in thii

collection, but it must be seen and carefully studied in order to~ fully appreciate it, and/like°alf ent'husi^ts'rnVrt" Mr7LruuVger"is

glways happy to exhibit his treasures.]

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED

Samuel R, Brown, Randall Brown, J. J. Brown, William F. Swecsy, A. J. Simpson, Silas A. Strickland,* Pat and Michael Connolly, Thomas O'Connor, J. W. Van Xostrand, Arthur N. Ferguson, Patrick Dinan, M. Lavin, Patrick McDonough, George I. Gilbert, Milton Rogers, Martin Dunham, Thomas Martin, Joseph Fox, Dr. William McClelland,* W. J. Kennedy. John

Kennedy, John Kennelly, John Petty, the Forbes family, Henry Livcse)-, Thomas Swift, Luke McDermott, the Lehmer family, E. F. Cook, Charles Turner, Charles M. Anmock,^'= Fred Kumpf, J. C. Wilcox, E. S. Seymour, Mrs. C. W. Kocnig, the Misses McCheane, Charles Childs, Frederick Krug, B. P. Knight, James McArdle.

t":''-'^

1

l?MUIDU'l».-v

SOME OF OMAHA'S INDUSTRIES.

The Omaha of To-Day.

FACTS AND FIGURES.

CTO far as the object of this work is concerned, the period of Omaha's history succeeding *— ' the completion of the Union Pacific Railroad can be dismissed with merely passing mention, as a period which the city underwent, as many cities have — with slow growth.

The unsettled and unfavorable conditions of national growth and prosperity necessarily affected the little outpost of civilization, and retarded its development. In fact, the Omaha of to-day can be rightly dated from 1S82, when great national prosperity, the pushing westward of the agencies of growth — capital and enterprise — combined with the energetic

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

. first president, and held that position until his death in August, i

and wide-awake spirit of the citizens who were directing the community's welfare. In that year the people of Omaha wisely agreed that if the city was to have a desirable future it could

[The Commercial National Bank was established May i, 1884, the chief promoter being the late Mr. Ezra Millard, who had been the president of the Omaha National Bank from its organization in 1866. The capital stock is $300,000, all paid in. Mr. Millard

guiding wisely and prudently the new enterprise during this time On May i, 18S5, one year after beginning business, the bank s deposits stood at $351,891, and its loans and discounts at $526 4S1, showing not only an established prosperity but careful and constrMtive management. On May I, 1886, deposits stood at $419,- 029, loans and discounts at $633,274, with a surplusof $17,000. On Maj I, 18S7, deposits stood at $719,434, loans and discounts at $756, 53S, the surplus being $20,000, and undivided profits, $1 1, 1 17. Thus (luinig two years from May, 1S85, to May, 1887, the bank deposits hnd iiici cased $367,343, and its loans and discounts $230,054, notwithstanding two other national banks had in the meantime been established. Upon the death of Mr. Millard, Mr. A. P. Hopkins (who, on coming to Omaha in 1866, was for a time connected with the Omaha Na- tional Bank, while Mr. Millard was its president, and later engaged for thirteen years in banking at Fremont) was elected president, Mr. Alfred Millard, son of the late president, was made cashier, and F. B. Bryant, assistant cashier. The members of its board of directors are: Wm. G. Maul, Clark Woodman, Andrew Henry, S. R. John- son, L. B. Williams, E. M. Morsman and Joseph Gar- neau, Jr., men of acknowledged financial soundness and ability, giving to the public every assurance of maintaining the safe and prudent course which has so far brought the

bank into general esteem. Of the late Ezra Millard it can be said that he was one of the best of our great citizens and one of the greatest 1 f our good citizens. He came as near being an ideal and a model for imitation as any man whom Omaha has known. As a banker he was broad, level-headed and sagacious; as a business man in any department, far-seeing, methodical and progressive; as a citizen he was generous, public-spirited and wonderfully well informed. He was a pioneer. Under his eye this city has grown from a hamlet. He was foremost in its interests, and his foresight and counsel aided its devel- opment. For nearly thirty years his prominence and influence have been recognized throughout the State and far beyond its boundaries. He was also the found- er of the Omaha National Bank, of which he was presi- dent for eighteen years. To the railroad interests of the city he devoted his energies and abilities, and con- tributed largely to the development of this as a railroad center. Mr. Millard was born in 1834 at Hamilton, Ontario. He came to the States with his parents in 1850, and settled in Iowa, from whence he came to Omaha in 1856. He became a member of the land agency firm of Barrows, Millard & Co., the company beginning the banking business in i860. The firm of Millai 1870. He was largely interested in real estate and building. Company and treasurer of the Cable Tramway Company. Christian and a member of the Presbyterian church. His

A., p. HOPKINS, PRESIDENT COMMERC

d, C.ildwcU & Co. was organized later on and he lennmcd with it until and at the time of his death was vice-president of the Union Tiust He at one time served as mayor of the city. Mr. Millard was a leath occurred at Saratoga Sptings, New York, August 20, 1886. It

was very sudden and caused by heart disease. He deeply felt by all interested in the growth of this city t

•as cut off id State.

his prime, being but fifty-three years of age. His loss has been

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

be best enhanced by efforts from within. The city's finances had been well managed, and the municipal resources were such as to warrant the beginning of an extensive system of public improvements. A comprehensive system of sewerage had been pro- vided, and paved streets were determined upon. The work was begun, and within two years it had progressed so well that the claim for Omaha, that it was " the best paved city of its size in the Union," passed challenge. Its commanding location as the eastern terminus of the chief trans-conti- nental line, which, with other side transportation facilities, made it a dis- tributing center for a vast and productive area of territory, attracted to it those elements of growth, — enterprising men and capital seeking profitable investment. A city de- termined within itse-lf to be a city, was a magnet to draw from elsewhere such requisites as might be wanting — -and they came. In i S 8 2 it was conservatively estimated that Omaha had a popu- lation of 30,000. The census taken by the State in 18S5 showed that the city had 61,000 popula- tion, an actual increase of more than i 00 per cent. Since that time the extension of the corpora- <

tion limits so as to om.\h.\

include that portion of the city's growth which had overlapped the former boundaries, and South Omaha, the distinctive feature of the city's development, have become factors in swelling the population so that it can be safely claimed that Omaha has at present 120,000

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

population. Such a growth in such a period seems in the nature of the marvelous, yet there has been little or nothing of the ephemeral boom-growth in it. The increase has been achieved upon a substantial basis. People who have come to Omaha have come to stay. The investment of outside capital has been large, and the enterprises it has furthered have furnished the sustenance for the attendant elements of increase of population. The

[Genera! Experience Estabrook has been a familiar figure in Omalia affairs for over thirty years. He is one of the oldest settlers. He was born in Lebanon, Grafton county, New Hampshire, April 30, 1813, where his parents lived until 1822, when the family moved to Clarence (afterwards named Alden in honor of Mr. Estabrook's grandmother of that name), a town near Buffalo, N. Y. This was his home until July, 1840. In the meantime he attended Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Pa., also the law school con- nected with Marshall he took a prominent College, at Chambers- ^^^'5^2^^;*=^-^ part, especially on the burg. Pa., where he /^^^ ' X suffrage article, an graduated and was ad- /0' ^' ^ amendment to which, raitted to the bar. He ^^f' offered by him, enabled then continued his /^^P^ \ the colored man to vote studies at Brooklyn, N. Wi^^l' 'fi j^^^^ ,.^ before the war. In 1849 Y., part of his time be- ^^^ffWmu ^^^^™^W- ^'^ ^^^^ elected to the ing taken up with the wf^lkf \^ ' '^^B^P^ W^ Legislature of Wiscon- duties of a clerkship in mk^fP'C^ M ^'"' ^® "^"""^ ^° ^^^' the navy yard at that ^fe^^J' S^\ 4^^Mi raska in 1855 as United place. The yoimg law- ^||k!»ji^\ \V t^^^^TO ^"""^ Attorney, ap- yer then removed to ^^^'„ ■■ ' K V***^ ^ pointed by President

gan the active practice JL v^ ' held the office for four

was a member of the them, broke into the

Constitutional Conven- ^i^ i\riiiiMi i^imkhdk channel and narrowly

tion of 1848, in which escaped drowning. At

the first term of the court in the Territory of Nebraska in the spring of 1855, General Estabrook was the only member of the bar in the Territory, recognized as such by the court, on account of his official position, and upon his motion the first bar was admitted to practice; so that it may be said almost literally that Mr. Estabrook is the father of the Nebraska bar. In July, 1859, ^^ accompanied the " Pawnee Expedition " up the Elkhorn, attacking the Indians at wdiat is now Battle Creek. In that expedition Gov. Samuel W. Black was commander-in-chief with the present governor. General Thayer, in direct command. Mr. Estabrook was a member of General Thayer's staff as Adjutant General. Major General Samuel R. Curtis was also one of the staff officers. On his return from this expedition he ran for delegate to''Congress, and was eUcted, but in a contest before the House was unseated in favor of Samuel G. Dailey, the Republican nominee. Mr. Estabrook served, however, through one session until June, i860. He was appointed by the Governor in 1866, to codify the State laws, and was selected by the public printer to superintend the publication and prepare the index. This required his spending the summer in Chicago and he embraced the opportunity to publish a form book, called Estabrook's Forms, a valuable legal work which, unfortunately, was nearly lost to the profession — the entire edition, with the exception of a few books, being destroyed by fire. The following year he was appointed district attorney of this district, which office he held from 1867 to 1869. In 1871 he was chosen a member of the Constitutional Convention, and the same year was employed by the board of managers as counsel to aid in the impeachment of Governor David Butler, who was found guilty and turned out of office. General Estabrook was married at Geneva Lake, Wis., April 14, 1844, to Miss Caroline Augusta Maxwell, daughter of Colonel James Maxwell, a pioneer of Wisconsin. She was born in Tioga county. Pa. They have two children, the eldest, Caroline Augusta, now married to Col. R. C. Clowry, general superintendent of the Western Union Telegraph Company. Henry Dodge Estabrook, a son, is now practicing law in this city.]

percentage of that which is termed "floating population" in Omaha is very sinall. There is no lack of employment for those devoted to almost any avocation, and the prosperity of the people is uniformly great. This much having been said of the community in common

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

terms, it is well to glance at present and prospective resources, with a view to demonstrating that the excellence of the Omaha of to-day is not only a fixed fact of the present, but is also a guaranty of future continued and increased greatness. Look first at what Omaha

JSES OF KlUKENDALL, JOKES & CO.— LEE, FEIED & CO. — ILEE & CO. — DEWEY & STONE.

has done and is doing in the way of public improvements. Information secured from the books of City Engineer Tillson makes the following showing :

Jan. I, 1S82 to Jan. I, 1887. During 1887.

Paving $1,483.06574 $ 376.33766

Sewers 594.17° 95 219,012 63

Curbing 232,86700 63,65000

Grading 300,885 00 174.36S 00

Viaducts 118,633 55 24,075 72

CityHall 2,36400 23. '05 59

Totals $2,731.98624 $ 880,54960

Grand Total $3. "'2.535 84

The money thus expended annually in public improvements has averaged about lo per cent, of the total amount expended in other improvements, manufactures, business blocks, residences, etc. Thus, from a few hundred thousands spent in 1882, the total value of improvements for 1887 mounts up to about $8,000,000. This enormous increase has not, how- ever, been disproportionate with the growth of the city in population and importance as a city and center of trade. As will be shown in after statements — actual figures — the city has not been dwarfed in any particular respect. Its growth has been even and uniform in all the

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

distinctive features of private and public enterprise. Anything which would enhance the communal interests of Omaha has been given deserved attention, and the success thereby achieved cannot be gainsaid.

Keeping pace with the growth of Omaha and its municipal development has been especially the increase in its commercial importance, which can be partially illustrated by the record of the clearing house since its establishment in 1885. During that year the clear-

[Dr. Jacob C. Denise was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, December 3, 1828, and was educated in the common schools, in the Academy at Franklin, Ohio, and at Farmer's College, College Hill, near Cincinnati; studied medicine and took his degree at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1S55 > engaged in practice at Dayton, Ohio, until the civil war broke out, when he

the Land Office at Grand Island, the first west of Oma- ha, Dr. Denise opening it for business. This office he held for three years, resigning in 1S72, when he returned to Omaha, and has since con- tinuously resided here and practiced his profession. In 1868 he was one of the original incorporators of the Kebraska State Medical So- ciety, and also in the same year was one of the corpora- tors of the Young Men's Christian Association. From 1S73 to :886 he was United States Pension Surgeon Ex- aminer. In 1882 he helped to organize the Omaha Medi- cal College, in which he has been one of the Professors ever since, and is now Dean of the Faculty. In all good enterprises calculated to pro- mote the welfare and ad- vancement of Omaha, the Doctor has been an active participant. Dr. Denise has been by the inherent force of his character, inherited from his French and Holland Hu- guenot ancestoi-s, an active, the army under Generals Fremont, Pope, Burnside and Sherman, was of the most arduous character, ny of the important battles up to and including the capture of Atlanta, where he had charge of a division Since coming to Nebraska he has been physician to the Deaf and Dumb Institute for fourteen years —

entered the service, August 18, 1861, as Assistant Surgeon in the Twenty-seventh Ohio Volunteers. In 1863 he was promoted to Surgeon. His service was in the Western army in Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, etc., and after the Atlanta campaign he re- signed, November 14, 1864. He became a Contract Sur- geon January I, 1865, and was assigned as executive officer at Tripler Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. In Octo- ber, 1S65, this hospital was discontinued as such, and the establishment was given to the State for a Soldiers' Home, Dr. Denise being as- signed to it as Surgeon. Here he continued until May, 1867, when it was superseded by the Home at Dayton. In June, 1S67, the Doctor came to Omaha and entered into practice. In the spring of 1868 he was elected City Physician, and was also County Physician, which po- sitions he held until 187 1. In 1S69 he was appointed by President Grant Receiver of enterprising man. His service he being engaged in m hospital with 2,000 bed;

VISE.

almost from its establishment. He has for years been the corresponding member of the International Committee of the Y. M. C. A. for the State of Nebraska. To carry out a long-cherished wish he went abroad in 1S86, and spent a great deal of time in the hospitals of London and Berlin, besides traveling extensively through Holland, Austria, Switzerland and France, deriving from his

professional and other observations much benefit and satisfaction. to add, ranks among our most eminent practitioners.]

his practice chiefly to office work, and i

ances footed up a total of $51,528,609. In the year 1886 they amounted to $82,690,570, an increase over the preceding year of 60 per cent., and for 1887 the total reaches $137,- 220,535, an increase of 66 per cent, over the year 18S6. Of course it is well understood that the clearing house returns do not indicate the total volume of business done in the city. Transactions at South Omaha, for instance, are only partially reported, and there are, besides, banks doing business in Omaha which do not share in the clearing house trans- actions. Perhaps the growth of the banking capital of the city will better serve to illus- trate the growth of the city's commercial importance. On January i, 1S82, the city had four national banks whose capital and surplus represented a total of $400,000. At present

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

the city has eight national banks whose capital and surplus amount to $2,970,500, and in addition there are two savings banks, besides a number of private banks and trust com- panies, making the total banking capital of the city easily amount to $4,000,000. This

W. V. MORSE

WAREHOUSE AND OFFICES.

figure does not include deposits, whicii in 1S85 were over $8,000,000, in 1S86 about $12,250,000, and in 18S7 the total approximates $16,000,000.

And speaking of the commercial importance of Omaha it will be well to note the volume and increase each year since record has been kept. During 1884 there were 64 firms engaged in the wholesale and jobbing trade in Omaha and they transacted a total business of $9,500,000. In 1885 the number of firms was increased to 169 and the total

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

business footed $25,136,000. During 18S6 there were 196 firms, and they did business amounting to $35,496,000. In 1887 the number of firms reached 240, and the business approximates $50,000,000. The leading lines rank : groceries, lumber, dry goods, steam supplies, hardware, coal, liquors, boots and shoes, drugs, agricultural implements, furniture, leather and hides, besides twenty or more lesser lines. The profits in the whole-

[Mr. Peter E. Her is one of Omaha's most prominent and successful business men. He is a native of Ohio, having been born

at Wooster, February lo, 1S40. At the early age of sixteen he began to earn his own living by doing chores for a banker of Indian- apolis. He was soon given the superintendence of his several farms, and his salary was raised from twenty to seventy-five dollars a month. Becoming sick he returned to his home at Tiffin, and upon recovering his health he started out as a country peddler with a

one-horse wagon and a small new partners M. W. Kennard,

stock of notions. He met p ■ — ^ and his brother J. D. Her.

with success and soon drove a ; ^ ' The Willow Springs Distillery

splendid four-in-hand team rffy^^ having been confiscated by

and a beautiful wagon. He ^^|^^^^||k^^ the government, was offered

also took orders for all the .^S^^^ ^^^^^ '^°' ^^'^ '" '^''°' ^"'^ ^^ ^^

wholesale merchants in Tiffin, jt^, > bought in the name of James

doing in this way a large com- ^^^ V ^' ^''=8'=^''^ ^'"' ^- ^- ^'*^'''

mission business. Mr. Her ^^' - -■ \ "^"^ partners in this enterprise

branched out and established ^^K ^^^ iMfcrjl '^*='"S Megeath, Her and John

a general supply store, en- Hfili "^^^^1^ ^Ml' McCormick. In 1872-3 the

gaged in the manufacture of fi/^ ^^ distillery became the property

cigars, and ran a distillery and f ^ ^ A of P. E. Her, J. D. Her, and

a general liquor store, all of . ^ \ ^^KM^ ^^' ^^' ■^''"'""'' ^^^ ''^^

these enterprises proving sue- .^ ^ i^^nl^^lH named gentleman remaining

cessful. The railroads enter- * ^^HHE^Bl^ '" '^^ '^'™ ""'"' '^^^' ^^^^^

ing Ohio materially decreased ^^^^SJRf^^P^ '^'^ ^°''^ °"' '° ^'^ partners.

Mr. Her's trade, and he de- „ ^jj^KB I" '^^5 Mr. Henry Suessen-

cided in 1S66 to locate in J^^ "'^'^^S^^^^K^ h3.c\\ became a partner. The

Omaha. Coming to this city ^Hjfe^^ "^"^^wBHe. distillery has been enlarged

in that year he secured papers ^^|^^H^^^^^ v-^^^' '^'°'" ^'^"' '° ^^"'' '""^ '™"

a class B bonded ^^f^^^^^^^^^^^^j^l^^H^, ^"^^

made a contract ,^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^|^^IHI^ ^^^ '°~

the a I^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hk ^^'^

^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^K the Its

He out ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BK^^^^u ' ^^^' "^^'^

the 1S67 "^C^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^^^Hli '^^ ^^^

ately after the great fire in ' '^ • '^^^^^^^^^^^B^^»^^^^^^W tax was nearly $150,000, in

Cincinnati he bought out his peter e. her. 1879 it increased to |72i,ooo,

old partners and took in as and it is now over $2,000,000.

The sales of the Willow Springs Distillery and Her & Co., combined, have increased in the same ratio —from $500,000 per annum to nearly |3,ooo,ooo. The cost of material used in the distillery during 1S86 was $250,000, representing 510,000 bushels of gr.iin. Over 10,000 tons of coal were consumed. Employment is given to 125 men. The annual pay-roll is over $So,ooo. Mr. Her was one of the original organizers of the South Omaha Land Syndicate, which has resulted in making this city the third pork packing center of this country. He has for some time been the leading spirit in the movement to solve the cheap coal problem, he and his associates having already spent a considerable sum of money in boring for a paying vein of coal. He is also interested in tlie effort that is being made to discover natural gas in this vicinity. He is a member of the National Distillers' Association, and a aember of the Omaha Board of Trade. In 1863 Mr. Her was married at Tiffin, Ohio, to Miss Mary A. Denzer.

pre

They have four children living — William E., May, Edith anc

interesting family, and doing everything in his power to make ho

Bessie. Mr. Her i le happy for them.]

hon

taking great delight

sale and jobbing trade have been large. Not a failure has been recorded, and most of the firms have increased their capital to keep pace with the growth of their trade. The retail trade, too, as may well be imagined in a growing city of 120,000 inhabitants, has been prosperous, but any figures regarding its volume or the number engaged in it would be valueless to the purpose of this work. Suffice it to say that the enterprise of its merchants and the conveniences afforded in railroad facilities to the people of Council Bluffs, Lincoln, Plattsmouth, Fremont and other neighboring towns, have greatly increased the retail trade of the city.

OMAITA ILLUSTRATED.

Omaha's manufactures must necessarily be considered a factor of its importance, though the city's manufacturing- interests may be justly said to be yet in their infancy. There are about lOO manufacturing concerns now established here, though previous to 1SS2 they did not number a score. At present about 6,000 skilled workmen are employed, the monthly pay-rolls footing up about $450,000. Of these the most important concerns are the railroad shops, employing 1,500 men, the Grant Smelting Works (the largest in the world), employing 500 men, Carter White Lead W^orks, Willow Springs Distillery, Garneau Cracker Co., Paxton and Vierling Iron Works, Woodman Linseed Oil Works, foundries, nail works, carriage works and brick yards — the latter employing 1,500 men, and still being unable to supply the demand

\Mii-i\\ "^PRINTS LI rnirR'i for building brick, although an abundance of suitable clay exists. It may be said upon this subject of manufactures that no city in the United States offers greater advantages as a point for manufactories than Omaha does. It is located in the heart of a large and popu- lous region which is made tributary by an extensive and comprehensive system of railways centering in it. With the great coal fields of Iowa adjacent, and competing lines bringing cheap fuel to the city, the question of cheap motive power is solved, and that is a prime consideration with the manufacturer. Coal for manufacturing purposes is at present being delivered in Omaha in car lots at $1.50 per ton. And as for a market, Omaha has the commanding position over that entire portion of the great and growing West and Northwest, which includes Nebraska, western Iowa, southern Dakota, northern Kansas, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho.

There has been another marked feature of Omaha's growth and development— the increase in value of its realty and the large investments of capital which have been made therein

difAi/A ILLUSTRATED.

The causes thereof can readily be found, of course, in the natural growth of the city, and the enhancements produced by the vast public improvements. Previous to 1882, from which the Omaha of to-day is commonly dated, the transactions in Omaha real estate did not foot up $1,000,000 a year. In 1S83, the first year after Omaha began its public improvements, the total of real estate transactions footed up $3,763,964. In 1885 the total reached $6,157,040.

[Carl A. Fried was bom in Beckaby, Sweden, July i, 1S44, coming to America at lli Illinois, but shortly after joined the government engineer corps under Gen. Wright, then in the close of the war he returned to Illinois and found employment as salesman. On Apri Otto Lobeck, a prominent merchant in Geneseo, central Illinois. Three years later Mi from the West, came to Nebr.aska and entered a homestead near Oakland. The life of a farmer was, however, not to Mr. Fried's taste, so in 1872 he went to Fremont and engaged as a clerk in the hardware store of II. J. Lee. In August 1S73, he opened a hardware store as C. A. Fried & Co., Fremont; but a couple of years later he and Mr. I.ee joined fortunes and the firm became H. J. Lee & Co, wholesale and retail hardware business at Fremont. In 1880 the business had grown to such proportions and the development of Omaha and Nebraska had been so great that the firm of Lee & Fried sought here the better location which Omaha afforded. March I, 1S80, they opened on Douglas street the estab- lishment which has since grown to be one of the

largest in the West. In ^^j. j^^.^ carl a. fried.

September of that year the

properly the wholesale and jobbing center of the upper Missouri valley. His loss to the c which he was held being generally e.xpressed. Mrs. Fried and their family of se\'en childt

• age of nineteen. He located at .^ndover, service in the army of the Tennessee. At I, 1866 he married Mary, the daughter of Fried, encouraged by the glowing reports firm became Lee, Fried & Co., and thus it became identified with Omaha. -M:-. Fried was one of Omaha's best citizens and his untimely death at Glenwood Springs, Colo., August 16, 1887, whither he had gone in search ol health, was deeply de- ]ilored by the business community. He was an untiring, energetic man of great business ability, courteous to all, and a mm of 1 igh motives. As a kat'ing member of the OmihTTni d of Trade he "ill 111 ^tl 1 enterprises

I I liii hunig the com-

II uiiil\ s advancement 1 1 Ihespieidof inform-

line iiLcining its re-

1 cU) He had faith in " '•^ Omaha and was untiring

m his de\ otion to the city. The immense establish- ment %\hich largely grew to its proportions under his care was proof of the correctness of his judg- ment that Omaha was

ty was therefore deeply felt, the esteem in

:n survive him.]

The year 1886 showed even a more marked increase, the total reaching $15,080,685, and 1887 makes an enormous showing, the total approximating $35,000,000. This great increase in real estate transactions had, of course, something of the speculative in it, but nothing beyond the legitimate. Values were increased, but not inflated. In instances, extremely desirable business property in the heart of the city attained a value of $2,000 per front foot, but the average busi- ness lot in the business area has not attained a value above from $1,200 to $1,500. The best criterion to be cited is that the highest figures yet put upon Omaha realty still prevail, and are yet lower in proportion than prices on similar property in Kansas City, St. Paul, Denver or other western cities of Omaha's class.

The outlying realty — -that fitted for residence purposes — is not proportionately less valuable than property in the business portion. Judicious investments of capital in street transit lines have made almost every portion of the twenty-five square miles area ot the city readily accessible. There are at present twenty-seven miles of horse railway in opera-

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

tion, SIX miles of cable railway and twenty miles of motor line in Course of construction. Besides these, the Belt Line railroad circles the city and has stations at various points, and the Union Pacific and Burlington roads have hourly trains to South Omaha. There are other lines pro- jected to further provide citizens with means of rapid transit from their homes to the central portion of the city, all designed upon i comprehensive plan contemplating Omaha as a city of half ;i million souls before the close of the cen- tur\'. The investments alreadN made in street transit lines aie placed at $3,000,000, \\-hich amount will be increased next }-eai b\ another million, if projects now in--^contemplation are carried out Quite as important a feature of urban life is brouijht to attention

the

wati;

rks, for

1S75 Mr. A. L. Str u-ilu- supplies -1

and he eiecled on the corner of le

city

oiiencJ a small house 011 a side street, between Farnam anc business piospeied, and so inci eased in si\ )eais as to icqu ih and I-ainam stieets one of the finest business blocks 1

which ground was first

larney. for the purpose of dealing in more room and increased facilities, the city, four stories, with basement. In February, 1SS4, his still increasing business made incorporation neces- sary, and the A. L. Strang Company- was formed, with a capital stock paid in of $155,000, the stockholders in which are Messrs. A. L. Strang, J. H. McConnell, D. C. Templeton, D. O. Mills, S. L. Dillie, Charles Martin and others, A. L. Strang being presi- dent, J. II. McConnell, secretary, and D. C. Templeton, treasurer. The greater part of the business of this company is contract work, such as railway supplies, steam and water supplies, city water works, hydraulic elevators and milling machinery, and extends beyond Omaha to other cities and towns in the West, the Lincoln

Water Works being one of the

speci-

of the work of this company.

-^

The company represents and deals in all the best mechanism and mechani- cal appliances in use, is the special Western agent of the Huxton Steam Heater, the Hamilton-Corliss Engine, manufactured at Hamilton, Ohio ; the Porter Engines, manufactured at Syracuse, New York, and sole agent of the celebrated Knowlcs Pumps. Besides the large local force necessary in the conduct of its business, the company h.as often a force of 200 men employed on various outside con- tracts. As a representative of the business and enterprise of Omaha and the capacity of the city to meet in this direction all the reasonable demands of the West, the A. L. Strang Company is worthy of the fullest confidence, and reflects great credit upon Omaha as the trans-Missouri center for mechanical work and supplies on a large scale, which formerly Eastern cities furnished.]

STR.'

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

broken in 1880. The system now has seventy miles of pipes and a daily output of 8,000,000 gallons of water. The system is a combination of the direct pressure and reservoir systems. The latter being used for domestic consumption and the direct pressure for fire protection. Two reservoirs have been provided, each with a capacity of 11,000,000 gallons. Into these the water is pumped on alternate days, from the

[No business man is better known in Omaha than Charles H. Dewey. He was born in Kennebec county, Maine, and was raised in Ohio, to which State his parents moved during his infancy. When gold was discovered in California, in 1849, Mr. Dewey, who was then in his young manhood, was among the first of the many fortune hunters who crossed the plains for the land of gold. He spent seven years in California and on the Pacific coast, and met with the ups and downs of an adventurer's life. He finally returned to the East, and it was considered a great

spent some considerable time tions of Tenn-

essee, Iowa and Colorado. In 1865 he drifted to Omaha. At that time Omaha was at- tracting considerable atten- tion, owing to the building ot the Union Pacific Railroad. After looking the city over carefully, he came to the con- clusion that it was destined to become a great commercial center at no distant day, and he invested all his money, amounting to less than two thousand dollars, in the furni- ture business. Soon after opening his establishment he associated with himself Mr. E. L. Stone as a partner. This firm has built up a busi- ness in the furniture line second to none in the United States. They began business in a small frame building on Farnam street, and have re- mained at the same location ever since. Their Farnam street display building, which was erected upon the site of the old frame shell, was the first four-story structure in

CHARLES H. DEWEY.

enterprise. It is yet one of the largest buildings in the city. Adjoining their Far- nam street store they have a five-story warehouse, fronting on Harney street, and in ad- dition to this they have two other extensive warehouses on Tenth and Eleventh streets. Mr. Dewey, in 1S70, went to Europe to recuperate his health. He made an exten- sive tour of the Continent, and became imbued with a great desire of travel and sight- seeing. This desire he has since gratified, and the con- sequence is that he has seen since 1870 nearly every place on the face of the globe worth visiting. During his visit to Europe he was in Paris when the Franco-German war broke out, and he remained there for some time after, watching the stirring events with a deep interest. In 1878 Mr. Dewey was appointed by President Arthur as one of the United States Commissioners to the World's Exposition at Paris, where he again spent several months. In 1881 he took a the go. His vast store of information, iher humorous ofl-hand

in Omaha, and when built

trip around the world, sailing from San Francisco. Since then he has been almost constantly (

obtained in this way, has made him very cosmopolitan in his character. Naturally a shrewd observer and a 1

talker, he is a very entertaining conversationalist. Mr. Dewey is a staunch Republican, and has always taken a deep interest in

poUtics, although he has never sought office. In 1884 he was induced to accept the nomination of Presidential Elector-at-Large on

the Blaine ticket. This is the only political position he has ever held, although frequently pressed to accept the nomination for

offices of trust and honor. Mr. Dewey was married to Miss Bell, of Belleville, Ohio, in 1866. He belongs to no church, or society,

secret or otherwise, and is a liberal, enterprising and independent man. Ill health has prevented him from attending closely to

business, and he may be called a man of leisure, and an honored and respected citizen.]

Missouri river. Much of the sediment common to the ri' the water in a measure purified. No pains are spared organic taint, and the city may be said to be particularly fortunate, from a hygienic point of view, in its water system. For fire protection there are si.x hundred hydrants distributed about the city. From these the water is taken directly into the hose by the fire department, the pressure being supplied by a special direct service engine at the water works, the pump having a capacity of 2,000,000 gallons. The works have a total daily capacity of 30,000,000 gallons. The corporation owning the works has been very enter- prising, the annual increase made in its plant amounting to 30 per cent., the total value of the investment being at present not far from two million dollars.

water is thus settled and preserve the water from

OMAHA ILLUSTRA TEb.

Those Other accessories of municipal life which contribute so largely t6 jDublic and private comfort — gas and electric light — have been amply supplied. The city pays for over one thousand street gas lamps which are lighted from darkness till daylight; and there are, besides, over four hundred electric lights of 2,000 candle power each distributed about the city by public and private enterprise. Indeed, it can well be said that Omaha is an exceptionally well lighted city.

An excellent telephone service comprising over one thousand local subscribers distributed in all quarters of the city, and connected with forty-eight towns in Nebraska and Iowa, is another very valuable feature of Omaha life. The service is equipped with the latest improved appliances and gives satisfaction in a degree excelling the telephone service of other cities.

THE MILLARD BLOCK.

The telegraph system, too, is comprehensive, affording the city ample and rapid com- munication with all parts of the globe through the equipments of two telegraph companies. It is safely estimated that two hundred telegraph operators are constantly employed in the transaction of commercial, railroad and newspaper telegraphy in Omaha.

Added to the network of wires which the telegraph, telephone and electric light systems have strung overhead throughout the city, may be also noted a comprehensive fire and police alarm system, the fire department having seventy boxes and the police department forty boxes distributed in various portions of the city, supplementing the telephone as means of communication when emergencies arise. (Those adjuncts of public safety and protection — the fire and police departments — will be considered later as branches of the city government.)

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

The mail facilities of the city are large, but because of the great growth ot commerce and population, are still inadequate. This can best be illustrated by pointing out that the government allows but twenty-four letter-carriers for this city of 120,000 people. When it is further shown that the total letter delivery approximates twelve million letters for 1887, and that the net revenue to the government for the same fiscal year was $123,100, exceed-

[Hon. Daniel II. Wheeler, one of the best known men in Nebiaska, was born in Flowerfield, St. Joseph county, Michigan, November 26, 1834. Coming to Nebraska in 1856, when he was twenty-two years old, he located at Plattsmouth, and in May, 1857,

business at that pla and the firm

with H. P. and J. W. Coolidge under I ime was changed to Coolidge & Wheele

he engaged in the hard In i860 J. W. Coolidge withdn firm in 1S61, and in 1862 Mr. Wheeler disposed of the lnl^i ness. In 1863 he resumed ihe hardware business in company with E. T. Duke, under the firm name of E. T. Duke 6>: Co. The establishment was moved to Omaha in 1S75 and two years later Mr. Wheeler sold his interest in the house to Mr. Duke. In 1S58 Mr. Wheeler, in addition to his other business, opened a real estate and insurance ofiice, and in 1865 he associated with himself E. C. Lewis and J. W, Marshall, the firm continuing unchanged until the death ol Mr. Lewis in 1867, Mr. Mar- shall withdrawing Jan. i, of that year. In March, 1S68, Mr. Wheeler formed a real estate and insurance partner- ship with Cagt. L. D. Bennett, ■which was continued until December, 1S85. Beginning in lS6i, Mr. Wheeler, for a period of six years, read law under the supervision of Hon. T. M. Marquette, and in 1869 he was admitted to the bar. In 1870 he became associated with J . C. Fox in the practice

was secretary of the Centennial Commission. He has been a m.;mber of the Slate Hor the present time, and was for several years its treasurer and then its secretary. He was elected Mayor of Plattsmouth

lEI TI.

lEELER.

le of Coolidge, Wheeler & Co. P. Coolidge retired from the of law, and subsequently with J. W. Stinchcomb and with E. D. Stone, the latter remaining in the firm till December, 1S7S, after which year Mr. Wheeler continued in the practice of his professsion alone. Mr. Wheeler has fill«d several important public posi- tions. He was elected clerk of Cass county in 1S59, serving in that capacity for two years. In December, 1S60, he was elected assistant secretary of the fourth Territorial Council, and was appointed probate judge of Cass county in 1864. Mr. Wheeler was a delegate to the national Republican convention in 1864, which nominated Lincoln for a sec- ond term. He served as agent of the Pawnee Indians from July 6, 1865, to October, 1866, which gave him the rank ot major in the United States army. In 1S69 he was chosen secretary of the State Board of .•\griculture, in which position he was retained for about fourteen years. From 1875 to 1879 he was secretary of the State Senate, and in 1875-6 Itural Society from its organization until serving

one term, and he has held various other city offices. In January, 1S81, he was elected president of the Plattsmouth Board of Trade, and was for eight years president of the Cass county Agricultural Society, the oldest agricultural organization in Nebraska. Mr. Wheeler, who is almost as well known here as he is in Plattsmouth, moved to Omaha in 1885, and engaged in a general insurance business with his son, Daniel H. Wheeler, Jr., in which venture the firm has met with great success. Mr. Wheeler has been promi- nent and active in secret society matters, having filled all the principal offices in the Masonic and Odd Fellows grand bodies of the .State, as well as having been an active member of the Knights of Pythias since 1869. On February 26, 1857, at Kalamazoo, Mich., Mr. Wheeler was married to Charlotte A. Lewis, a native of New York, and first cousin of the late Dr. Dio Lewis. They have had five children, all sons. Of these, three are living — Daniel H., Jr., Myron E. and William H. Their eldest son, Ernest O., died in 1863, and their third son, Frank L., died in 1 886 J

ing that of anj- other city, it will be seen that the Omaha postoffice is transacting an enormous business. The following table furnishes an interesting comparison, showing the growth of the business in a decade:

1877.

Carriers 6

Registered letter delivery 5.55 1

Total letter delivery 723,23 1

1S87.

A glance at tht increase brou[jht about

receipts n Omaha';

md expenditures will also five years of great growth:

be instructive, showinsr tht

Receipts. Expenditi

1 88: 86,158

1887. 23.897 38)554

OAfAI/A ILLUSTRATED.

But the inadequacy of the facilities for handh'ng the mails in Omaha does not consist alone in lack of manual help. The government building, although a fine structure, is entirely

too small. So patent has this become that a bill has been introduced in the present Congress, providing for an appro- priation of $1,500,000 for the purchase of a new site and the erection of a suitabl\- commodious federal building. The bill has the united support in both houses of the Nebraska delegation, and undoubt- edly will be passed. Pending the con- struction of the new building, temporary relief will be afforded by the erection of a cheap addition to the present building, Having considered some of the dis- tinguishing features of urban life in Oma- ha afforded by invested capital, it will be well to turn to some ot those features provided by the municipality itself First to be considered is, properly, the city's method of raising revenue. It embraces three agencies — direct ta.xation, licenses and fines — most of the latter two going RAMGE BLOCK. dircctly into the school fund. The direct

taxation is levied upon an

assessed valuation of only

$16,000,000 — less than one- fifth of what is termed

" real valuation, " such as is

in vogue in other cities of

Omaha's class. The city's

mode of valuation is un- fortunate, in the respect

that it makes the rate of

ta.xation 40 mills on the

dollar — seemingly a high

rate, but which is in reality

low, in view of the 1 o w

valuation ; for if the same

mode of valuation were to

prevail in Omaha which

prevails in St. Paul, Minne- apolis, Kansas City, Denver,

and other cities of their

class, the rate of taxation

would be only eight mills or ten m

in Omaha by comparison, take St

Is at the limit. Paul, which on

HOTn I \I KFR

To illustrate the true state of affairs . valuation of $So,000,000 levies a tax

Omaha illustrated.

of twenty mills to raise the $1,600,000 annually necessary to carry on its municipal govern- ment, while Omaha gets along with the $640,000 raised by a levy of fort}- mills upon a valuation of $16,000,000. The fact that Omaha's municipal government requires only two- fifths as much funds for its conduct as St. Paul does, is traceable directly to superior mange- ment of its finances. The bonded indebtedness of Omaha at the beginning of the fiscal

[Max Meyer was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, now the ch educated in Berlin. In 1861 he emigrated to this country, settling in th

clerk. In 1866 he came to Omaha and began business on his own account in a small way and in a sm side of Farnam street, near Eleventh. Three years later he associated with him one of his brothers, grown their accommodations, they removed to the Creigh- ton building on the north side of Farnam, corner of Eleventh. Still their business grew until these quarters were inadequate, when their large double store was built on the opposite corner, where for years has been conducted by two separate firms (Mr. Max Meyer being the head of each), business of a most ex- tensive and varied character. One store is devoted to the manufacturing and dealing in fine jewelry and to the sale of music and musical instru- ments, etc., and the other to tobacco, cigars, guns and a great variety of other articles, both of domestic and foreign production. Mr. Meyer's business still keeping pace with the growth of the city and State, he at length found his own large building too small, and in 1886 induced Mr. Wm. A. Paxton to begin the erection of the finest six- story block in the city on the corner of Farnam and Six- teenth streets, 50x132 feet of helped to organize the Omaha Freight Bureau, has never sought a political office. He belongs of the State. J

MAX MEYER, PRESIDENT OMAHA BOARD OF TRADE.

id is always alert when the business interests of On the order of Odd Fellows and has held the highest

itate in the German Empire, on .\ugusl 13, 1S4S, and was ty of New York, where he began his business career as a n a small way and in a small frame building on the south and their business having out- which the Meyer brothers leased, and which by the close of 1887 will be completed and occupied. In this build- ing the Meyer firms will have a business establishment which for beauty, extent and variety will have no equal in the West. As a citizen and business man Mr. Max Meyer is conceded to be one of the most active and valuable to Omaha. There is nothing in the shape of a business enter- prise calculated to benefit Omaha that does not secure his attention and such aid as he can give it. He is a char- ter member of the Board of Trade, for several years a di- rector, and in 1885 was elected its president and re-elected in 18S6 and 1887. He was one of the projectors of Oma- ha's splendid exposition build- ing, and is president of the company which erected it. He helped to organize the Omaha Savings Bank and has been a director of it ever since. He w^as prominent in securing the erection of the fine Board of Trade building, aha are involved. Mr. Meyer ftice in the grand encampment

year 1887 was $1,048,950, with no floating debt worth mention. Bonds issued in 1869 are the oldest now outstanding. These bear 10 per cent, interest, but the credit of the city has since improved so much that the $200,000 issued in 1886 (the limit of amount of bonds to be issued in any year is fixed by the charter at $200,000) were placed at 4^ per cent.

In 1882 the bonded indebtedness of Omaha was $328,950. During the period of which this article treats — 1S82-87 — the bonded debt was increased $720,000. As previously shown, the total of public improvements in the same period is $3,612,535 — five tiincs the increase in the bonded debt. This singular result is due to the fact that by far the larger part of the city's iinprovements were paid for by surplus revenues. It should also be explained that such improvements as paving, curbing and guttering are paid for by the owners of abutting property, the city bearing only the expense of street intersections. To lighten the burden upon the property owners, they are required to pay only one-tenth the expense each year, the city guaranteeing the interest upon bonds issued for ten years. About

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

$600,000 of these bonds are now outstanding, but they are not classed as city debt, as they are really the debt of benefited property owners. It can, therefore, be truthfully said that, in point of taxation, credit and size of debt, Omaha is better off than any city of its size in the United States, as it certainly is in quantity and quality of its public improvements. The city now has seventy-two miles of graded streets, forty-six miles of sewers, forty-six

miles of streets curbed and guttered, twenty-two miles of streets paved. Of the paved streets, those in the central portion of the city are paved with granite blocks and asphalt, those in the residence portion with cedar blocks on concrete base. It also has a fine city hall, to cost $250,000, in course <.f erection opposite the magnificent court house put up by the county. Two fine viaducts spanning the valley by which railroad egress is had to the West, have also been just completed at a cost approximating $150,000.

OMAHA TLLUSTRATED.

To return to the subject of city finances, it should be explained that the tax levy is apportioned into several funds, such as general fund, 12 mills; police fund, 5 mills; fire department fund, 4.\ mills ; paving fund, sinking fund, school fund, etc. ; and it is illegal for the Council to divert funds to any but the prescribed purpose — a provision which operates eminently well.

[Saint A. D. Balcombe is chairman of the Board of Public Works of Omaha. He is a man eminently fitted for the position, his long residence in the city and close and intimate knowledge of its needs, with his practical mind, making him exactly the right man for such a responsibility in a growing and progressive city. The Board of Public Works of Omaha has hundreds of thousands of dollars to expend annually, the public improvements keeping right apace with the remarkable growth in population and wealth. He is of old New England _

stock, transplanted in

New York State, and was born in Utica, N. Y., June 12, 1829. He lived with his parents until he was sixteen yeais of age, attending school and later serving as a clerk in the post office under his father who was postmaster. In 1845 he went to Battle Creek, Mich., where he entered as clerk in a drug store and remained until he had obtained a thorough knowledge of the business. In 1849 he removed to Elgin, 111., and started in business for himself, continuing until 1854 when he ag.iin changed his place uf abode, this time going tu Winona, Minn., where he lived until appointed In- dian agent for the Winne- bago Indians in 1S61. Mr. Balcombe came to Omaha in 1866 and purchased the Republican, assuming

editorial control. Those ^1. \. n i\ii i\ii 1 , .iIv1..m\n U' v d 1111

were trying days in the

was elected by a subsequent Legislature as a regent of the State University. He was a met vention of 1S57 and presided over that body as its chairman. He was a member of the fir Mr. Balcombe was married while a resident of Elgin, 111., to Miss Anna E. Fox, by whom h

history of the city and conducting a daily news- paper was a constant struggle on all sides. He piloted the Republican sately, however, as its editor and proprietor un- til iS7i,when he disposed of a half interest to Waldo M. Potter. The paper was afterwards merged into a stock company and Mr. Balcombe retired from its active manage- ment in 1876. In 1878 he was appointed deputy revenue collector. He was afterwards made a government ganger, which position he held until a change in the ad- ministration. He was ap- pointed a member and chaiiman of the Board of Public W'orks last Spring by Mayor Broatch. Mr. ll.ilcombe has had a long and useful public career. While living in Minnesota he was elected a Republi- can member of the ikks council in the Republican

Legislature in 1855, and ber of the Minnesota Constitutional Con- t State Legislature of that State in 1857. has had live children.]

Apropos of this subject of municipal finances, it must be stated that an annual license fee of $1,000 is levied upon each saloon, the number of which at present is 248'. The revenue thus derived, and the fines collected by the police court, are turned over to the school fund, being nearly sufficient in amount for the inaintenance of the city's splendid public school system, the tax levy for school purposes being only one mill during the current year. There are now twenty-six school buildings in use in Omaha. Three-fourths of the number are large, substantial brick buildings, with a capacity for 18,000 children- The value of these structures is placed at $644,900 and the real estate upon which they are located is valued at $952,200, making a total of $1,597,100 worth of city school prop- erty. There are at present 172 teachers employed, and they receive a total in salaries of $125,000 annually. The expenditures for the schools this year amount to $375,000, and the income will reach $400,000.

It can readily be understood that because of such large expenditures the educational system of the city is of the very highest order. Children in the graded schools are pro-

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

vided with free text books so that even the poorest are afforded opportunity for a free education. In the high school there is a manual training department where elementary- mechanics are taught by practice, the high school course further including languages, music and drawing in addition to the ordinary high school course. Graduates from the institution need no further preparatory training to enter any college. Omaha is particularly proud of its school system. It leads the State in this respect, and census statistics show that Ne- braska has the smallest percentage of illiteracy of any of the States in the Union.

There are other educational institutions in the city, notably the State Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, and Creighton College, founded in memory of Edward Creighton

SHEELY BLOCK

honorably mentioned elsewhere, and handsomely endowed by his relict. Creighton College is conducted by the Jesuits, has a splendid taculty, and is numerously attended, ranking foremost with religious institutions of class. The Academy of the Sacred Heart, a Catho- lic seminary for girls, and Brownell Hall, a like institution in charge of the Episcopalian clergy, should also be mentioned. The Catholics maintain, in addition, parochial schools with an average attendance of 2,000 pupils. There are besides various private cial and telegraphy institutes.

;hools

OMAHA LLUSTRA TETED.

Intimately associated with the educational advantages of the city may be also men- tioned the Public Library, an institution fostered by the city. The library has at present a total of about 17,000 volumes including all the standard works of literature in all its branches. The latest report ot the librarian shows that during the fiscal year, 1887, the library had 214,070 visitors, showing the extensive usefulness of the institution. A project is now well under way for the construction of a suitable library building, lack of present accommodations making such a building a necessity. It is proposed to expend $60,000 in its construction.

[Louis Ileimrod is a native of Germany, having been born in northern Prussia in 1S47. His parents belonged to the middle classes, ihe elder Heimrod being a physician in moderate circumstances. In his youth Louis Heimrod received the excellent education afforded by the German schools, and at the age of twenty years, in 1867, he jiassed his examination as a volunteer in the Prussian army. In the year fjllowing, the young man determined to emigrate to America, and make his fortune in the States. lie

successful bu

and having every induce- ment to remain, but his past life in Omaha ha-1 caused him to become so attached to this city, tiiat it proved the mag- net once more to draw him from his ne^^' home. He returned in i88t, and has lived here ever since. Mr. Heimrod is one of the representa-

uf On

accordingly bade fare- well to the fatherland, and sailed for America in 1S68, coming direct to Omaha. He re- mained here until the following year, when the wonderful develop- m e n t of new towns along the line of the Union Pacific Rail- road, then in course of construction, induced him to migrate further West, and he located at I.aramie City, Wyom- ing, where he engaged in the grocery busi- ness, under the firm- name of Clark & Heim- rod. After two years of prosperity, Mr. Heim- rod returned to Omaha and remained until 1875. He then re- nraved to Shrevcport, Louisiana, where probably the most im- portant event of his life occurred, save one — he married Mis-s Es- tafanney Romagossa. He spent six years in the South, doing a been liberal in giving both time and money to public en _

, and president of the Turn-Verein, besides holding minor positions of honor essrs. St. A. D. Balcombe and Clifton E. Mayne, Mr. Heimrod was chosen last spring as a member During the period he has already served matters of very great importance to the city have been ■rs requiring the expenditure of thousands of dollars. Mr. Heimrod has brought his business train- He has been careful, conservative, though progressive, and his course has been such as to com-

13 ])resident of the German A: societies. With his colleagues, of the Board of Public Works acted upon by the Board — mo ing into good use on the Board mend the judgment that select business. I

h \e the fiugai, hard- \\ o 1 k 1 11 g Germans. Mi Heimiod is a good citizen. He possesses the respect and confi- dence of the com- munity. He has always been eneigetic and wide-awake to push the interests of this city. He has taken a lively interest in all public affairs, and has prises. Among his own class he is highly respected and honored. He Turn-Verein, besides holding minor position

LOL-IS HEIMROD, MEMBER BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.

ed him for the position. Mr. He

i'holesale

has been il groce

In the point of churches, Omaha is remarkably well supplied, having a total of sixty- seven edifices devoted to religious purposes, twenty of which were erected during the year 1887, and eleven during 1886 — a fair criterion ot the Christian spirit prevailing in the com- munity. The churches are distributed as follows : Methodist, twelve ; Presbyterian, ten ; Con- gregational, nine ; Baptist, seven ; Catholic, seven ; Lutheran, seven ; Episcopalian, five ; Evangelical, three ; Christian, two ; Jewish, two ; Spiritualist, one ; Unitarian, one ; Latter Day Saints, one. The total membership proper of these churches is estimated at 30,000, the Methodists and Catholics leading in point of numbers. Omaha is the seat of two religi-

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

ous sees, the Roman Catholic with the Rt. Rev. Bishop O'Connor at its head, and the Episcopal with the Rt. Rev. Bishop Worthington presiding.

Besides the convents, parochial schools, seminaries and colleges identified with the re- ligious life of Omaha, proper respect must be shown to the Young Alen's Christian Association, and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, both of which organizations are in a flourishing condition and doing effective Chris- tian service where needed. The Y M C \ have m courbC of erection a splen did five-story block which

J. KAKBACH.

is to contain a gymnasium, library, reading and meeting rooms. The building will als contain a number of stores and offices for renting purposes, the revenue from which wi make it self-sustaining.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

St. Joseph's Hospital, in charge of the Sisters of Mercy, and largely sustained by the gen- erosity of the Hon. John A. Creighton, is an institution of a semi-religious, semi-public nature. It is conducted under Catholic auspices, but is non-sectarian in its good and charitable work.

There is also in the city a free dispensary where the needy sick can receive medi- cine and attention.

[There is no name more closely identified with the wonderful growth and prosperity of Omaha in the past five years than that

of Clifton E. Mayne, and a work devoted to the interests of this city would be incomplete without a sketch of his eventful career.

Mr. Mayne is a native of Iowa, and was born in 1855. At the age of twenty he came to Omaha and entered the Western Union

Telegraph Office, where he was chief operator for four years. At the end of that period he was induced to put his accumulated

savings in an Iowa coal the members of the Board

venture, which proved dis- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ of Public Works, a position

he ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H to he

to ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^HH he

the estate ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H the

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H ble In

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H he done

able. He caught the first ^^^^^^^^^^^^SpI^^^^^^^^^^9P^^^^^^^^^^^^|h much to develop the city,

high flood of the Omaha Ht^ Sp^ "^^ " ^^^^^^^^^^^H He invested his money in

boom, and each succeeding ^^K' ^^^^^I^ ^^H^^^^^^^^l street car, motor and cable

wave of prosperity has car- ^^R <^B^^£m> ^^^^^^^^^^^B lines, with limits to the

ried him on to fortune. He ^^p gj^^^^^ "--'^S »!'>''' "-'mote additions, and

has been instrumental in se- ^V* ^"^^W^ >&9, -~S^H '^'^ enterprise and confi-

curing large sums of East- ^p' J -^^^ ■^^ f^' '^SB^^H '''^"" ^°-^ enabled these

ern and foreign capital for E. -^^B^^Eh ^^"""'^^ '° t)<= pushed to

investment in Omaha, but ^E ^^^^^^^^1 completion. He has always

he IS more generally known ^^^^^E> % "^ ^^^^^^^1 evinced the liveliest interest

for his remarkable success ^^^^^K ' * -Ji'^'afei ^^^^^^H i" 'lie city, and has been a

in handling new additions ^I^^^^E ii^L ' 'i, ~' ^^< ^^^^^^1 I'l^eral subscriber to all

to the city, and thereby ^^^^^^^L 'S^^^v'^ 'V\?^^^ fl^^^l^H public enterprises. His making it possible for the ^^^^^^E^ MTOwFJ'ii'' i "'I'ff^ ^^^^^^^H successful business career is mechanic, clerk and labor- ^^^^^^^: J TB[|^fl''TM^^^^^^F^ -SJl^^^^^H =>"other instance of the tru- ing man to own their own BBB^^K^ ^UT ^SE^^S^HlHt' ^^^^I^^^Pi ''^"^ about printer's ink, he homes. His liberal dealing |^g" -SK^ ^^^^^^^^^Hk 'w. ~~ ^ I having expended thousands has enabled this class to pur- ^B~ ^ llSI^H. "^^ r^^Hw^^fe^" - J "f dollars in this way. Mr. chase lots and build with ^^. .oM^^^^^^^. .^^^^ ^^^■^fej^fa^^^^^ Mayne is yet a young man, the same means that they ^^g-e^^pWL^^^^^^jMFg^^^^^^^B^B^^^^^M being but thirty-two years previously paid for rents. ^^^^^^^Bit^t ^SB^^B^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bi of age. Ilis confidence in matters of public aflTairs, B^^^^S^^^^^L|^^^|^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H Omaha has never abated, H^HH^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B „ow than

the front, and his course has ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^^^^^^^^^^S i-ess of the past few years been such that he was CLIFTON E. may.ne, member board of public works. will be more than dupli-

chosen last spring one of cated in the future, and as

he possesses the faculty, in a large degree, of making others think as he does, his hope in the city's future will result in much good. Mr. Mayne has very large interests in this city, and his business requires a vast army of clerks and agents. He recently made arrangements to still further increase his facilities, and will engage in the banking and brokerage business. His appointment as a member of the Board of Public Works gave ge loral satisfaction, and his attention to the duties and usefulness as a member have served to increase the general confidence that caused his selection in the first place. Mr. Mayne possesses the confidence of all classes. His career has not been altogether tr;f from trials and struggles, but his indomitable will, business sagacity and sterling energy have carried him safely through all. His natural resources have been wonderful, and at times when affairs looked actually hopeless for him his triumph has been such as to put all carping critics in the shade. Mr. Mayne is easily approached. He gives the same attention to the poor man seeking a small lot for his modest home as he does to the representative of Eastern millions looking for safe investment. The future of Omaha can well bi placed in the hands of such energetic young men as Clifton E. Mayne.]

A bureau of charities has just been organized for the purpose of concentrated and systematic dispensing of assistance to the worthy poor. Leading citizens are enlisted in the movement and are giving it needed and hearty support.

Life and property are well conserved in Omaha so far as public accessories can com- mand. The city has a metropolitan police force guided and controlled by a police com- mission, the members of which are appointed by the Governor of the State, and are thus independent of local political influences. The police force comprises at present about fifty well disciplined, uniformed men, including a chief, a day and a night captain and three ser-

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

geants. Patrolmen receive $70 per month ; sergeants, $85 ; captains, $100, and the chief $150. The department has all the accessories of alarm boxes, patrol wagon, etc. It can be said, too, that in view of the great increase of Omaha's population, including people of all classes, that the city has been very well policed. During the past year great crimes have been few and rarely have offenders of any grade escaped the law.

Omaha's paid fire department is something of which its citizens are particularly and justly proud. In point of equipment and efficiency it is not excelled in any city in the Union It, too, is under the control of the police and fire commission, but its excellence can be

RESIDENCE OF C. E, MAYNE.

most largely credited to its brave and efficient chief John J. Galligan, who is excelled by none as a fire-fighter. When it is stated that the total fire losses for 1887 have been less than $200,000, while the insurance companies have reaped over $900,000 in premiums it will be understood that the city has first-class fire protection. -The department has a total of 52 men, including a chief, his two assistants, a superintendent of fire alarm and 48 men distributed at six hose-house stations in desirable parts of the city. The department has two steamers, a chemical engine, and about 10,000 feet of hose. The steamers are never used, however, as the direct pressure pump of the City Water Works furnishes force enough to carry streams of water over the loftiest structure in the city. Excellent

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED

equipment and capable efficient men have combined to give such an excellent protec- tion from fire that in iSS6 the underwriters made a reduction in insurance rates and still another reduction was made in 1887. While the police and fire departments are under the immediate direction of the police and fire commission, appointed by the Governor of the State, they are also measurably controlled by the Mayor and Council, in whom control

[Henry T. Clarke was born in Greenwich, Washington county. New York, April 26, 1S34, ami is a decendant of John Clarke, who settled in Rhode Island with Roger Williams. He was educated in the Greenwich Academy in his native town. In May, 1855^ Mr. Clarke came to Nebraska and located at Bellevue, Sarpy county, where he entered upon a business career which has been marked with great success. During Mr. Clarke's residence at Bellevue he bought largely of lands in that place and vicinity and when the

Pacfic road was projected he expended much money and exerted his already great in- fluence to secure to Bellevue the location of the road. That . point had many topographical advantages over Omaha for a large city, but Omaha was a winner in the contest and hence Bellevue has remained to this day the small village it was then. Mr. Clarke was a mem- ber of the Territorial Legisla- ture in 1864, and of the Terri- torial Council in 1865. He projected the Omaha & South- western railroad in 1S69. In the earlier period of his residence in Nebraska he was largely engaged in contracting and building county and railroad bridges. In 1876 he projected and built the bridge across the North Platte river at Camp Clarke, thereby opening up the Sidney short route between Sidney, Neb., and Deadwood in the Black Hills, where he established a branch of his wholesale jobbing business. The same season he projected and established the Continental Pony Express, furnishing all the largest real estate owner in Nebra; farms in the vicinity of Bellevue ar houses and outbuildings, and by h having over 2,000 head on his different farms.

mountain districts in the Black Hills with mail, having from the United States government charge of the entire line, and having his postoffices in all the mining camps. In 18S3 Mr. Clarke projected the Bellevue College, gave to it a tract of 265 acres on Elk Hill, in Belle- vue, and erected a fine college building with a capacity of from 200 to 300 students, mak- ing it a free gift to the Presby- terian Church of Nebraska. In 1S80 Mr. Clarke invested in the wholesale hardware busi- ness in Omaha, being at the same time largely interested in real estate in Sarpy and other counties. In 1SS3 he removed to Omaha and established here the H. T. Clarke Co. drug house, with a branch in Lin- coln — two of the most exten- sive wholesale drug houses west of Chicago. In 1887 he sold out the Omaha house, but still conducts that at Lincoln, and has within the past year built an extensive block at the latter city for the accommoda- tion of his increasing business. Mr. Clarke is probably the I, possessing some 50,000 acres of farming laud in different counties of the state. His improved other points of the state comprise about S,ooo acres, on which he has erected comfortable farm iberal treatment of tenants secures the best class of occupants. He is also a large cattle owner, n i885 Mr. Clarke was prominently named for governor of the state on the Republi-

HON. HENRY T. CLAKKE.

can ticket, and but for the exceptional popularity of Gen. Thayer on account of his war record, would undoubtedly have received the nomination. In every movement calculated to promote the moral and business interests of Omaha, Mr. Clarke has been prominent. He is president of the Law and Order League, formed about two years since to secure a better enforcement of law and order in this city, and his co-operation is always sought — and never denied — in every good work.]

of the city finances is vested. The Council regulates, subject to the Mayor's approval, all expenditures of public moneys, except those devoted to educational purposes which are in charge of the Board of education. It may be appropriate here to give a summary of the city government. The Mayor is elected by the voters for a term of two years. The Council is composed of eighteen members, elected for two years, nine of whome are elected at large one year, i. e. by vote of all the citizens, and the other nine the next year by the respective wards. The City Treasurer, Comptroller and Police Judge are also elected by popular vote. The City Attorney and Assistant Engineer, Gas Inspector, Street Com- missioner, Board of Public Works (three members), are appointive by the Mayor, subject to the approval of the Council. The City Clerk is elective by the Council. The Mayor,

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

the president of the Council and the City Cleric constitute the license board. The president of the Council is acting Mayor when the Mayor is absent from the city or incapacitated lor duty. There are besides a number of minor offices, Building, Boiler, Sewer and Pav- ing Inspectors, Viaduct Tenders, Special Police, etc., appointive by the Mayor, and subject to the approval of the Council. So wisely are the duties of the several city officials regulated, so many are the checks and counter checks placed upon them all by "^^ the municipal charter that Omaha is a very well governed city — none better in fact.

One of the potent forces in bringing Omaha n to its high estate as a city, has been the Board of Trade. It was organized in 1877, by the business ^ ^ men and leading citizens for the purpose of advan- cing and building up the city's interests, and was always an effective agency. In 1885, when Omaha's ?AY HOTEL position as a great city was beyond dispute, the

Board was reorgan- ized, the member- ship fee increased from $125 to $250, and much new blood introduced. It was then decided to erect a suitable building, and on a desirable site, cor- ner of Farnam and Sixteenth streets, was erected the splendid six- story structure, an illus- tration of which is presented in this volume. The build- ing and site are val- ued at $100,000, and it is estimated that the annual rentals will foot up $35,000. The Board has a membership of about 250 of the leading business

men, capitalists and citizens. It is officered by a president, two vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer and board of nine directors. Semi-monthly meetings, or oftener, as occasion demands, are held and the energies and sturdy efforts of enterprising men are thus blended

OMAtiA I L LUSTRA ten.

mciit in Kentuck	y, Ten-
nessee, Alaban	a and
Georgia, nnlil at	Dalton,
in the latter State	he was
mustered out in	Febru-
ary, 1866. On	Novem-
ber 9, 1866, the	doctor
came to Omaha	md im-
mediately enga	jed in

practice.

In February,

in furtiiering the common good. Through the efforts of the Board of Trade, Omaha has been widely advertised in the East and many enterprises induced to locate here. The secretary of the Board is constantly replying to inquiries from parties looking for a place to locate, and in compiling and sending out statistical information concerning the cit}-'s standing and advantages.

[Samuel D. Mercer was born in Marion county, Illinois, June 13, 2842. He received his literary education at a select school conducted by Elder Mannahan, at Walnut Hill, Marion county, and later at McKendree College, I.ebanon, Illinois, and his medical education at the Michigan University, the Chicago Medical College and at the Berkshire Medical College ol Massachusetts, where he graduated. At the breaking out of the civil war, Dr. Mercer entered the 149th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers as assistant surgeon, and served with his regi- and Missouri Railroad

and for eight years the chief surgeon of the Un- ion Pacific Railroad, and organized its medical de-

a prosperous condition when he resigned in 1885. Dr. Mercer or- ganized the Omaha Medi- cal College and held the chair of clinical surgery and afterwards the chair of surgery and clinical surgery in the medical department of the State University. He was president of the Board of United States Pension Examiners for many years. Secretary of the Nebraska Medical Asso- ciation for seven years after its organization and a corresponding member of the Boston Gynecolo- gical Society. During the active period of his practice the Doctor found time for authorship, and published a work on spinal curvature and treatment of spinal dis- eases. When Doctor g acquired large real estate interests in ably in the building ot cable tramways ming obstacles that but few men would ttsmouth, Nebraska. In Omaha he has dice portions of the city, where he has ■citizens are following his example. In addition to these enterprises the Doctor has erected during the past year two of the largest and finest business blocks has thus shown himself to be one of the most energetic and useful citizens of Omaha.]

he proposed to the profession the appoint- ment of a committee to correspond with the phy- sicians throughout the State in regard to the or- ganization of a State Medical Society, and the Nebraska State Medical Society was the result. For twenty years, until April, 1S87, Doctor Mer- cer was actively engaged in the practice of his pro- fession, during which time he held many hon- orary positions and was specially recognized as the leading surgeon of the Northwest. For eighteen years the Doc- tor was the assistant sur- geon of the Burlington

Mercer retired from the active practice of his profession in 1887, it was not to rest. Omaha, he engaged in enterprises calculated to benefit the city and develop his prope ^nd motor street railways, in which during the past year he has been especially active, have cared to encounter. He is also largely interested in real estate and street railway: devoted himself to the improvement and building up of Walnut Hill, one of the fine built lor himself one of the fine modern residences of Omaha, and where otlrersof our

DR. SAMf

the city, and

In mentioning the organizations of the city, it will not be amiss to make reference to the secret and other societies which are so important a feature of the city's life. Al- most every organization known to man has representation in Omaha. It is estimated that the total membership of the city's secret and benevolent orders reaches 10,000. The socie- ties may be enumerated as follows : Masons, three lodges, two Chapters, one Commandery and six other lodges of higher Masonry. Odd-Fellows, five lodges, two Encampments, three Rebekah degree lodges ; Knights of Pythias, fifteen lodges, ten divisions uniform rank. Ancient Order of United Workmen, three lodges. Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Legion of Honor, Order of Forresters, Order of Chosen Friends, Rcdmen, Royal Arcanum,

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

Clan Na Gael, two posts of the Grand Army of the Republic and twenty odd other benevo- lent orders in addition to the labor societies. The Masons, Odd-Fellows and Knights of Pythias own buildings containing their halls. The first secret order established in Omaha was the Odd-Fellows, January i, 1S56, and the next was Capital lodge of Masons, January 26, 1857-

By no means, an unimportant feature of the city's import- ance is its excellent newspapers, in num- ber and quality of which Omaha is un- excelled by any city in the United States. It has at present five daily papers, the Re- publican, a morning paper, established in 1 858, and now prin- cipal!}^ owned by S. P. Rounds and Cadet Taylor ; the Herald, also a morning pa- per, established in 1865, now owned by Hon. John A. Mc- Shane; the Bee, morning and even- ing editions, estab- lished in 1S71, and principally owned by E. Rosewater ; the World, an after- noon paper, estab- lished in 1885, prin- cipally owned by G. M. Hitchcock ; the News, an afternoon paper, started in iSS/.byO.H. Roth- acker, and the Tri- bune, a German daily established in 1875, and principally owned by F. G. Festncr. These papers are all enterprising, liberally supplied with foreign and domestic news by cable and telegraph, keenly alive to local interests, and well edited in all respects. There are, besides, several weekly edititions, and all are liberally sustained by the people of the city and tribu- tary sections. It can well be said that Omaha's newspapers are unexcelled as an expression of the tone and character of the community and its intelligent citizenship.

/i'fj?>-i. XMO' sa- -f .-- "~^: -

WAREHOUSE AND

OF W. J. BROATCH.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED,

The hotels of a city are always a very important consideration. Omaha in this respect is not provided in a degree commensurate with its importance. It has a total hotel capacity

[John McCreary was born in Morrow county, Ohio, May 2i, 1832. When about eight years of age he removed with his parents to Southern Illinois, where he lived about five years and then returned to Ohio, and was employed about a year in the construction of the Little Miami railroad — the first built in Ohio. He was next engaged for five years in building telegraph lines in that State- after which he went to Mississippi.where he was engaged in railroad building for several years, and then returned to Springfield, Ohio.

In 1855 he left there and went to Page county, Iowa, where he was engaged in shingle manufact- uring for three jears. In 1858 he closed out his business there and came to Omaha, where he has since continuously resided In 1 861 Mr. McCreary was again building telegraph, this time for the Union Pacific railroad company across the plains to Salt Lake City, aftei which the engaged in freight- ing across the plains foi about four years, then in contracting for the Union Pacific on that company's road for about a year, after which he went into the raising of broom i-orn in Douglas County, and the manufacture of bio^ms, which he continued for two years, since which time he has devoted himself to his real estate interests in Omaha and to his ranche and stock raising in \V)oming Teiritory. It thus appears that Mr McCreaij's pursuits and inter- ests ha\e been of a more than usually varied char- acter, showing much eneigy and business activity, and the result to him has been a well earned com- petcncj His ranche in \\ yoming lies about the headwaters of the Little Laramie river, within 18 miles of Laramie Cit-s, consists of 2400 acres, all un- der fence, IS stocked with 650 head of cattle, 250 horses and is the best timber sheltered ranche in the Tenitor) Heis prepaiing to cultivate it largely, being con\inced that faiming will be more profit- able in the future than the raising of large herds of

stock.

JOHN M'CREARY

of about 6,000, of which about 1,000 may be termed first-class, 2,000 second-class, and the balance of a third grade. The hotels of the city are always over-crowded, and are all prospering in an extraordinary degree. It is conceded by all that there is need for another large first-class hotel, and a number of capitalists are now con- sidering the formation of a company which will construct a hotel, that will be un- excelled even in Chicago Indeed it may be said the project is well advanced, and that the building will be started before a ^ tweh e-month.

In the number and character of its , buildings Omaha also ranks highly, as the illustrations in this work indicate Brief allusion is here made to a few of them, of recent construction or at present under way. In point of height and cost of con- struction the buildin

W. F. SWEESY.

course of erection by the New York Life Insurance Company at

OMAHA LLtTSTRA TETED.

the cornel' of Farnam and Seventeenth streets, undoubtedly outranks all others in the city. It will be ten-stories high and cost $1,000,000. The big bank buildings are striking structures also. The United States National, five-stories and sub-basement, stone, southeast corner Farnam and Twelfth streets, the Nebraska National on the opposite corner, built of iron, four-stories and sub-basement, the Merchant's National, one block west on Farnam and Thirteenth streets^ seven-stories and sub-basement, brick and brown-stone ; the First National, five-stories and

PETCKE'BROS. CO., COMMISSION MERCHANTS & MANUFAOTUBING C0NFECTI0NEB8.

sub-basement, on the opposite corner, built of granite and brick, and the Omaha National, six-stories and sub-basement, on Thirteenth street, between Farnam and Douglas streets, built of pressed brick. The Board of Trade building is a si.x-story brick, located on the southwest corner of Farnam and Sixteenth streets. Diagonally opposite is the new Paxton Block, a six-story fire-proof brick structure, costing $400,000. Three of the corners of Fifteenth and Farnam streets, are occupied by the six-story Barker Building, the five-story Paxton Building, and Boyd's Opera House, a five-story structure. Fifteenth street from Harney to Howard is occupied on the east side by the Ramge and Sheely blocks, both

OMAffA ILLUSTR ATED.

ornate five-story brick structures. In the vicinity are the Meyers & Raapke Block, the Herald Building, the Withnell Block and the Granite Block, each large four-story structures. The Murray Block, a six-story brick structure built for a hotel on the corner of Four- teenth and Harney, adjoins the five-story Paxton Hotel, on Fourteenth and Farnam streets. The Millard Hotel is also a five-story structure on the corner of Thirteenth and Douglas

[John I,. McCague, who in a few years has made his mark in the business circles of Egypt, October 6, 1855. His parents, the Rev. Thomas McCague and wife, were from Oliio aries to the Copts in that distant and historic land. They remained there for six years. Ret of Iowa, and made that State their home from l86i to 1S67. In the fall of 1866 the subje( old, came to Nebraska, his first place of residence in this State being Nebraska City. The family soon followed him. Al- though his parents had each been given a collegiate educa- tion, John L. McCague received only a common school training, very few of the Nebraska boys of the '6o's and early '70's were sent away to college. In 1S68 Mr. McCague entered upon his business career. His first employment was in the grocery store of L. V. Morse, who is yet one of Omaha's citizens. In the latter pari of that year he entered the service of the old Transfer company, which transferred all passengers and freight across the Missouri up to the time of the comple- tion of the Union Tacific. .^s far back as 1S69 he gave evi- dence of his faith in the future of Omaha. In that year he in- vested his first savings in real estate. In 1875 he took a desk in the general freight office of the Union Pacific, under Mr. P. P. Shelby. In 1877 he was transferred to the ofiice of J. W. Gannett, general auditor of the Union Pacific. Foreseeing the perience in real estate, Mr. John L. McCagu other important purposes, as he was enterprise. Although yet a young m

JOHN L. M'CAGUE.

vas frequently appointed as an appraiser for the arded as an excellent judge of values. He has an i he ranks among Omaha's most prominent citizens

grown up in Omaha from boyhood, and has won the esteem and respect of the community by

work and the straight-forward course which he has always pursued.]

Omaha, was born in the city of Cairo, , and went to Egypt as the first mission- ing to America they became residents f this sketch, being then eleven years rapid growth of Omaha, Mr. -^g McCague in 1880 resigned his ■^ railroad position and embarked iji the real estate business in w hich he soon met with marked success. The growth of his business increased with that of the city, and needing assistance he associated with himself his bi other, William L. McCague, m 18S1. When the private banking company of Caldwell, I Hmdton & Co. was reorganized - the United States National 1 ink, the firm of McCague hers decided to engage in the piivate banking business. 1 hey opened an office in the I ill of 18S3 at No. 107 South I ifteenth street, where they still 1 . main. They are now the . 1. lest private bankers in Oma- The growth of their busi- ng-.5 has been very rapid, and Is now very extensive. At first the business was transacted by the two brothers and Mr. Alex. G. Charlton, now one of the firm. At the present time a force of eighteen clerks is re- quired. In December, 1S86, Thomas H. McCague, another brother, was admitted as a part- ner in the firm. During his ex. condemnation of lands for railroad and mquestioned reputation for honesty and and successful business men. He has his many yeais of hard and painstaking

Streets. On the corner of Eleventh and Douglas, is located the Paddock Block, a large five-story brick, and one block east on Douglas is the Republican, a four-story brick. On the corner of Harney and Eleventh, is the fine five-sto'y Millard Block, and on the oppo- site side of Harney, is a solid block of four-story brick buildings. One block south is the new Mercer and Woohvorth Blocks, five-stories in height and extending from Eleventh to Twelfth streets. On the corner of Ninth and Jones, is the five-story Ames building, cover- ing a quarter of a block of ground, and on Tenth and Jones is the big five-story Paxton & Gallagher wholesale grocery house. McCord, Brady & Co., have a large four-story block on Thirteenth and Leavenworth streets, and on Ninth and Leavenworth is the five- story McGavock Block. The Union Pacific general offices occupy the company's five-story block at Ninth and Farnam. The Burlington road has a four-story building for its general

OMAITA riLirS; TR A TF. D .

offices, one block west. The Strang Building, the Rosewatcr Block, th( the Arlington Block are other four-story structures worthy of mention. Ii th s \ ,1 ' ,\ H e Bl Lk U S \i lU.iitli ml 1 irnain

; Bycrs Block and 1 course of erection streets, the Young Men's Christian As- sociation Block, at Douglas and S i x - teenth streets, and the Knights of Pythias Castle Hall. A conservative esti- mate places the amount of capital in- vested in business blocks, four-stories or over, at $9,000,- 000. Other promi- nent buildings in Omaha are the Court House, the City Hall

RESIDENCE OF G. W. HOLDRF.DCxE. (JO COUTSC of C O U -

struction), the High School, the Federal Building and the Exposition Building. It can well be said that in the number and character of its buildings, and the width and excellence of streets, Omaha is more metropoli- tan in aspect than any other Western city.

While it will be shown in that portion of this work which deals more particu- larly with South Omaha that the most extensive in- terest of the city is the meat manufacturing interest, a legitimate out- growth ot the tact that hogs and cattle are leading prod- ucts of the city's tributary tcrritor)-, the further fact must not be lost sight of that Omaha is becoming a great grain market — and this without a grain ex- change, or any special effort yet made to centralize the grain trade here. Xel-ra^k.i and I-w.i are essentially agricul- tural states, and naturally their chief city whence comes the articles consumed, should be a center for their farm product.s. The annual grain trade of the city amounts to about 12,000,000 bu.shels of all kinds of cereals, of which something over 1,000,000 bushels are

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

consumed by local distilleries, breweries and mills. The gaged in handling grain have elevator capacity of about an amount grossly inadequate, when it is understood production of Nebraska alone exceeds 300,000,000 bushels, at its back, it is very evident that Omaha can become Indeed, its grain trade has already developed to the full age capacity, and capital is now considering the erection elevators to meet the demand.

been given to the vim, sagacity and enterprise which have ous, handsome city here described, but as yet the chief city has only been touched upon — its railroads. Whatever otherwise, of the railroad question, it cannot be gainsaid most important adjunct of a city devoted to commerce Omaha is liberally supplied in this 'respect. It is at pres-

Omaha firms en- 16,000,000 bushels, that the annual grain With such resources a great grain market, measure of its stor- of one or more large Due credit has built up the prosper- factor in building the miy be the merits, or that railroads are the and manufactures, n t the terminal

i^

wK&!^^^^^^;^^^*^^^^f?!^^^^^?^^^^^'^T^^^^^^t^roW^^

ffi

"^^T-^^A

m ill! if!

CONTINENTAL CLOTHI.N

[The aoove cut represents the newly erected building of the Continental Clothing House of Omaha, Freelancl, Loomis & Co., proprietors, and on the opposite page is a cut of the famous Boston house of the same name and of which the Omaha establishment is a branch. The business of the Continental Clothing House has been established in Boston for more than thirty years, where it has grown from a small beginning to be the largest of its kind in the New England States anywhere. The manufactury is located in the Boston house, where there are employed between five and six hundred hands, regularly, in the manufacturing of the stock for the Omaha and other branch stores of the establishment. The proprietors of the establishment have fixed upon Omaha as the most important point for the western distributing branch of their business, and will eventually transfer a large portion of their manufacturing to this city, where, in the near future, it is proposed to enter into competition with the large western wholesale markets of Chicago and St. Louis in supplying the demand of the great West and Northwest, which must look to Omaha (or its supplies of every descrip- tion. Recognizing in the varied character of Omaha's business life the surest pledge oi its future prosperity, and also considering its position as a great commercial center, with the railroads radiating from it in every direction, and the great territory tributary to it, it is the ]iarpose of the Continental Clothing House to cultivate and develop, as far as possible, its business interests in this city, which must grow to be second to none of the great cities in the West. With unequaled facilities as direct importers from all the markets ol the world of fine woolens and merchandise in our line, and as among the largest clothing manufacturers in the United States it is our purpose to offer every advantage to the people of Nebraska and all the country tributary to Omaha that can be obtained in any of the markets of the United Stales. The Continental Clothing House is to become an Omaha institution, devoted to Omaha and Western interests, and with the purpose in view of developing thr, business in our line to the highest point of perfection possible.]

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

point of thirteen main branch lines and a number of others are projected. The first railroad to reach Omaha from the east was the Chicago and Northwestern, the first train arriving Sunday, January 17, 1867, the crossing being made on an ice bridge. In the spring of 1868, the Mississippi and Missouri River Railroad, now known as the Chicago and Rock Island, reached the city. Then came the Kansas City, St. Joe and Council Bluffs, and in the fall of that year, the Burlington and Missouri River Raijroad in Iowa, now known as the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, was completed. All these lines were drawn to Omaha by the prospective completion of the Union Pacific, the first great trans-continental road. Later came the Siou.x City and Pacific, and the Chicago, St. Paul Minneapolis and Omaha, from the north, and the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul from the east. These seven

CONTINENTAL CLOTHING HOUSE, BOSTON.

trunk lines from the east, south and north afford Omaha ample communication with those sections furnishing facilities of ingress such as are not excelled hy any other city.

Of the means of egress, the lines which carry from Omaha the goods which its merchants sell and bring to this market, the products of the vast tributary region, the Union Pacific was the first and most important, the one to which Omaha is most indebted for its greatness. The origin of this great railroad enterprise, the location of tiie route, and the granting of aid in immense subsidies by the Government, are historical facts which are too well known to need repetition here. Suffice it to say that President Lincoln fixed the initial point of the main line on the 17th of November, 1863, by an order as follows ; "At a point on the western boundary of the State of Iowa, opposite section ten, in town- ship fifteen, north of range thirteen, east of the sixth principal meridian, in the Territory

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

of Nebraska." The company for the carrying out of this grand project having been organ- ized, a dispatch was sent on the morning of December 2, 1863, from headquarters in New York, to Peter A. Day, the engineer at Omaha, to begin work. This news created the wildest enthusiasm, and it was determined to "break ground" that very day near the old ferry landing. After prayer by the Rev. T. B. Lemon, the first earth was removed by

[No man is better known in the Omaha real estate field than W. G. Albright, who, in a remarkably short period, has worked himself to the front rank. He was born at Fort Madison, Iowa, January 29, 1855, and began his business life at the early age of fourteen. His first experience was in the capacity of clerk in his father's dry goods store at Fort Madison. After acquiring a

itted as a partner and continued as such for several years. In 1S79 he engaged in the

next purchase made by Mr. Albright consisted of 280 acres, now known as Albright's Choice. He bought this prop- erty in October, 1S86, and his first sale in the Choice was made in January, 1S87. With- in six weeks after that he sold $250,000 worth of this prop- erty, and one day he sold $40,- 000 worth. Unlike the ma- jority of real estate men who lose interest in an addition after selling a large portion of it, Mr. Albright has continued to exert every effort to build up and improve the property which he has put upon the market. He was mainly in- strumental in the extension of the South Omaha dummy line and the erection of the hand- some depot in the center of the Choice, which is now the ter- minus of the dummy line and known as Albright Station. This station has nineteen daily passenger trains. He also lo- cated the Omaha Carriage and Sleigh Company on the Choice. This company has put up fine W G ALBRIGHT buildings and will employ two

hundred and fifty men. ^Vhat thriving suburb of South Omaha, having a population of seven hundred. Over one hundred handsome cottages and numerous business buildings have been erected during this time. In addition to these two big ventures — the Annex and the Choice — Mr. Albright has done a general real estate business on an extensive scale. Within two years he has risen from the rank of an almost penniless stranger to the position of the leading real estate man in Omaha, and all by his own efforts. He has one of the handsomest offices in the city, as well as a branch office at .Mbright, and he employs a large force of intelligent, com- petent and energetic men. In the brief period of one year, Mr. Albright has established a splendid business reputation and has acquired a fortune.]

thorough knowledge of the business. In fire insurance business, in which he was quite successful. Mr. Albright came to Omaha in December, 18S5. He saw the wonderful improvements and strides of progress that were being made by Omaha, and he became convinced that there was nothing that could

fits than investments in real estate, which was steadily ad vancing. "There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to for tune." So thought Mr. Al bright, who, although he did not have a dollar for invest ment, launched forth with the tide on February 15, 1886 He met with success from the very start. Organizing a syn dicate, he made his first ventuie in the purchase of Albright s Annex in August, 1886. Tins tract of land, adjoining South Omaha on the south, w ^s platted, recorded and sold at auction by Mr. Albright within ten days after its purchase This was the first successful real estate auction ever held in the State of Nebraska. The was one year ago a farm, is to-day

Governor Saunders and Mayor Kennedy of Omaha, and Mayor Palmer of Council Bluffs, assisted by Augustus Kountze, Engineer Day, George Francis Train, Dr. Atchison and others. Artillery salutes were fired, and the crowd cheered themselves hoarse. Speeches were made by Governor Saunders, Mayor Kennedy, Dr. G. C. Monell, Hon. A. J. Popple- ton, A. V. Lannier, George B. Lake and George Francis Train. "The President of the United States shows his good judgment," said Mr. Train in the course of his remarks, "in locating the road where the Almighty placed the signal station, at the entrance of a garden seven hundred miles in length and twenty broad." Mr. Train predicted that the Union Pacific would be completed before the year 1870. This was a little too much for the audience to believe, and many laughed at him. He also said that in twenty years Omaha would have

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

one hundred thousand people. But Train was right. President Lincoln and many prominent men from all parts of the north sent telegrams to Omaha in regard to the auspicious be- ginning ot the enterprise. Grading was begun on the Union Pacific in the spring of 1864. The sum of $100,000 was expended on a due westerly course, when a change was made

in the route, because of

the unevenness of the

countr)-, which would

not permit the road to

be constructed rapidly

enough to reach the one

hundredth meridian in

time to save the charter.

It was provided in the

charter that the railroad

that first reached that

point should have the

right of way as the main

line to a connection with

DEEXEL & poll's STONE Y.\uDs .^Nij sToxE SAW MILLS. the Central Pacific,

which had been chartered by the State Legislature of California. At that time the Kansas

Pacific was pushing rapidly ahead, and having railroad connections at its eastern terminus

it had the advantage of the ^___

Union Pacific in obtaining quick transportation of sup- plies. Fifty miles were com- pleted and in running order by the first of January, 1S66 when the road reached the level country of the Platte Valley, the work was pushed more vigorously than ever and the result was that it reached the one hundredth meridian in advance of tlie Kansas Pacific, its competitcr in the race. It should be borne in mind that there n is yet a break in railroad com munication between Omaha m. a. disbbow & co.'s factory.

and Dcs Moines, a distance of 193 miles, and consequently everything had to be transported by teams from that point, or by steamboats up the Missouri river. The first engine of the Union Pacific shops in this city, a seventy-horse-power, was transported in wagons from Des Moines These shops were started soon after the work of building the railroad was begun, and were com- pleted in the fall of 1865. During .the year 1866 there were laid 260 miles of the Union I'acific track ; 240 miles in 1867, and from January I, 1868, to May 10, 1869, 540 miles were laid, completing the road in three years, six months and ten days from the time it was started and about seven years sooner than the limit fixed by Congress.

The connection of the

OAfAIIA ILLUSTRATED .

Union Pacific with the eastern railways was made by means 'of ferryboats in the summer, and an ice bridge in the winter for several years. The initiatory steps for the building

[Mr. M. A. Upton, who is one of Omaha's leading real estate men, was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., December 24, 1847. At an early age he came west and engaged in various occupations. During the past seventeen years he has lived in Council Bl-iffs and

known to everybody. South Omaha in less than four years has become a city of nearly 7,or,o peojjle. It is the third packing center and live stock maiketm theUnion. Amonglhe cntei prises that have made the city, aie the packinghouses of Hammond, Fowler, Armour, Swift and others. It is safe lu S.1) that within three years South Omaha will be a city of 25,000 people. Mr. Upton has Lnntiibuted largely in various \\a)s to the wonderful results lliat have been accomplished ill South Omaha. He is now engaged in the real estate busi- ness in Omaha, and is ranked aiming the most enterprising and successful men in that line. His reliability and integrity are unquestioned. He believes in the liberal but honest use of printer's ink, and knows from experience that wonders can be achieved by judicious advertis- ing. He abhors all " wild-cat " schemes and promises that can- not be strictly carried out.]

Cnncrrcss pro\'idin"- for a

Omaha. While a resident of Council Bluffs he was for several years the cashier of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railway in that city. lie next filled, for quite a term, th.- position of freight and ticket agent of the Chicago, Milwau- kee & St. Paul railway. At a later date he became secretary and treasurer of the Transfer Stockyards Company, of which W. A. Paxton was president. When the Union Stockyards Company of South Omaha was organized, he was appoi secretary of the corporation and also of the South Omaha Land Company. Mr. Upton had great faith in these enter- prises, when others considered them rather visionary. By ju- dicious and original methods in advertising, he at once brought South Omaha into prominence, and thus disposed of a large amount of property for the land company, and in- duced the permanent Hnvest- ment of capital in lands and in enterprises. The result is well

of a bridge had been charter, and a bitter fi ensued as to the location of the bridge, but the lo- cation where the bridge now stands was finally agreed upon. Omaha voted $250,000 in bonds in con- sideration that it should have the main transfer de- pots, general offices, ma- chine shops, etc. Council Bluffs voted $200,000 in bonds on the same condi- tion, but the company ac- cepted Omaha's proposi- tion. The bridge was com- pleted March 25, 1S73. A new bridge, h a v i n g a double track, a wagon bridge and a walk for pedestri

taken in 1866 by ght

act passed

P.\XTON, GALLAGHER & CO.'S BUILUING.

has replaced the old bridge, the work of construction having recently been completed. It is a much more substantial bridge than the old one was, and was

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

RESIDENCE OF F.

put in position upon the same location without interfering at all with the passage of trains. The Union Pacific Railway has seen many vicissitudes, change of ownership and control and has made and unmade the fortunes of many people, but from its completion to the present time, it has continued to grow in importance as the great trans-continental

line. The construction of

branch lines has greatly aided its revenues, and if remedial legislation can be secured from Congress, as it is hoped, its future will be well secured. The most important of its branch lines is the Oregon Short Line, which, in connection with the Oregon and Navigation Road, recently acquired by lease, gives the Union Pacific its own continuous line from Omaha to Port- land, on the Pacific coast. The development of the

country by the Union Pacific can be most easily demonstrated by citing a few figures. In

1876 the tonnage handled by the road at Omaha and Council Bluffs, was 1,259,894,897 pounds.

Ten years later in 1886, the

tonnage handled at the two

cities amounted to 4,324,-

709,483, an increase of 243

per cent., Omaha handling

considerably over one-half

of the total amount. The

Union Pacific now owns

4,575 miles of road, and

controls 1,422 additional

miles, all operated from

Omaha. Its lines tap the

richest agricultural and

mineral lands in the world,

covering a vast region

which is being rapidly de-

V eloped, increasing the

fruitage which Omaha ex- acts as tribute. The head- quarters and main shops of the road are located here, and the number of its employes

reaches over 2,000. It is indeed a great Omaha institution.

In 1869, prominent business men ot Omaha organized the Omaha and Northwestern

P^P
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JllllMl,,,	lllli«i«ii,^f-ri:-j **■ ::■. -.■^..::;^'^''.^? "^-.
II ii'iiiiiiBilWmil

RESIDENCE

Railroad, with James E. Boyd, president.

and con

structed the road to Herman. It proved

important feeder to Omaha and remains so, though it has since become a part of the

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

[W. J. Broatch was born in Middletown, Connecticut, July 31, 1841, and w native town. Wlien seventeen years of age he went to Hartford wliere lie resided 1

Eighth C

educated in the common and high schools of his il the civil war broke out, when he enlisted in the lecticut volunteers. After serving with that regiment a year and a half, he left it and entered the regular

his fir

army. During the wa in the North Carolina expedit Roanoake, etc. Later he w: of the Potomac at Spottsylv first came to Omaha in 1866 ;

service was with Gen. Burnside Dn and he was at the capture of with Gen. Grant in the army nia, the Wilderness, etc. He i aide on the staff of Philip St.

MAYOR W. I. BROATCH. The inauguration of new systems in city gov wise discretion on the part of those charged a zeal that cannot be questioned.]

[C. S. Goodrich was born in Warren, Warren county, Pennsylvania, July 5, 1842. As a boy he learned the printer's trade, and came to Omaha with his parents April 6, i860. Here he worked at the case on the Weekly Republican and later on the Omaha Nebraskian. ^Vhen the Daily Telegraph was started, of which Henry Z. Curtis, a son of the late Major General Curtis, was editor, Mr. Goodrich worked at the case upon it with C. W. Sherman, the present editor ot the Platts- mouth Journal. The Telegraph was announced to be pub^ lished simultaneously in Omaha and Council Bluffs and four hundred copies were printed daily, two hundred of which were sent by a boy on a pony across the river for distribution there. Mr. Curtis was afterwards killed during the Kansas troubles by Quantrell in the Lawrence massacre. During the Indian scare under Gov. Alvin Saunders' administration, Mr. Goodrich was a captain of a militia company raised for home protection, and he admits that more women and children were scared by the militia men than by the Indians, who never came near the town. Mr. Goodrich was engaged in mercan- tile pursuits for twenty years in Omaha previous to 1887, when he retired. In 1885 he was elected to the city council for two years, and in June, 1887, under the new charter, he was elected city comptroller to serve until January, 1890, being the only candidate on the Democratic general ticket elected. Like others of the pioneers of Omaha, Mr. Goodrich has seen the little village grow to be a great and flourishing city, and the State in its marvelous development, keep pace with it.]

George Cooke, at which time the Department of the Platte was created. Later he was detailed by President Grant to take charge of Indians, and was assigned to duty under the Department of the Interior at the Yankton Indian Agency. After a year's service there he asked to be placed on waiting orders, with a view to leaving the service and resigned his captain's commission in the regular army, December 31, 1870, and went to Ohio where he engaged in business. On March I, 1874, Mr. Broatch came to Omaha and established himself in the heavy hardware business, which he has successfully con- ducted ever since. He has been an active and public spirited citizen, taking an interest in all movements calculateo to pro- mote the material progress of Omaha. He has for years been a mem'ier of the board for the improvement of the Missouri river, is a member of the Omaha Board of Trade and of the Omaha Freight Bureau. He was a member of the school board in 1878-9 and was elected to the State Legislature in 1880 for two years. In June, 1887, he was elected Mayor of Omaha under the amended charter to serve until Januarv, 1890. As such he is ex-officio president of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, which body was provided for in the new charter to give to the city a system of metropolitan police, largement of its powers necessarily involve much labor and

th official responsibility, and Mr. Broatch has applied himself to his new dii

ith

COMPTROLLER C. S. GOODRICH,

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED

I lOUIS BERKA.

therefore especially fitted for the official position he fills, and to which he was appointed last March by Mayor James E. Boyd, whose excel- lent judgment was confirmed by the present Mayor, W. J. Broatch, who re-appointed him in May. The term expires January, 1S90, and Mr. Till- son has over two years still to serve. Since coming to Omaha, Mr. Tillson has had charge of the construction of not only all the sewers, but of the street paving in the city as well He has kept these apace with the mai velous growth of the city. Ilavm been actively engaged in the Publi Works since their inception until the ''■ present time, he has had an opportu nity to see all that has been done_ and improve in the future that which has been good and avoid what few mistakes have been made. Mr. Tillson was recently married, wedding M New Hampshire, October Sth, 1887.]

[Dr. John B. Ralph was born in Wilmington, Delaware, September 25, 1841, and received a common school education there, and later at Mendota, Illinois, to which he removed with his parents in 1857. In 1862 he enlisted in an Illinois regiment and was assigned to duty as Assistant Hospital Steward^ where he began the study of medicine. At the close of the war he entered the Marine Hospital, at Chicago, as a student, and graduated at Rush Medical College in 1867. Began practice at Mendota and about a year later removed to Sterling, Illinois, where he continued to practice his profession until 1SS2, when he came to Omaha and established himself in a successful practice here. In May, 18S7, he was appointed City Physician by Mayor Broatch and con- tirnied by the council, becoming, by virtue of that office, Secretary of the Board of Health. Dr. Ralph is a member of the Nebraska State Medical Society and also of the Douglas County Medical Society, and is esteemed to be one of our most reputable physicians, the result of conscientious and un tiring devotion to his profession, the complete mastery of which stimulates his greatest ambition. Considering the comparatively short lime he has been located in Omaha, Dr. Ralph has attained a position of prominence in the profession seldom reached ; and his calls take him among every class of the community.]

[Louis Berka was born in Bohemia, April 28, 1855, and came to this country with his parents in 1862. The family settled in Genesee county, Michigan, and engaged in farming. Mr. Berka received a district school education and aftenvards attended the high school at Flint, Michi- gan, until he was 17, when he learned the trade of marble cutting, at which he worked for some time as a journeyman and aftersvards carried on the business on his own account at Pontiac, Mich. In 18S0 he entered the Michi- gan University at Ann Arbor and studied law. In the spring of 1SS3 he grad- uated and was admitted to the bar, upon which he came directly t. Omaha and established himself in practice. In 1SS5 he was elected Justice of the Peace for two years, and so acceptably discharged the duties of the office that in May, 1887, he was elected Police Judge under the new charter, to serve until January, 1890.]

[George W. Tillson, City Engineer, was born in Thomaston, Maine, December 18, 1852, where he lived until he reached the age of 20 years. He attended the public schools and prepared himself for College, entering the celebrated Bowdoin College, at twenty. He took the course cf Civil Engineering and graduated from that department in 1877. For three years Ml. Tillson taught in the preparatory schools of Maine and Massachusetts, ^1 lying his profession, meanwhile. In 1880 he received an appointment under Col. George E. Waring, Jr., the celebrated engineer, who at that time was constructing an entire new system of sewerage for Memphis, Tennessee, which was made necessary lor sanitary reasons because of the terrible visitation of yellow fever the t^^ o previous years. The system at Memphis is the most complete and the very best in America. After leaving Memphis Mr. Tillson went to Kal-imazoo, Michigan, where he pHnned and superintended the con- struction of a sewer system. In iS8l the city of Omaha adopted the War- ing sew er system, and in October of that year Mr. Tillson came here to t-ike charge of the work. Every pioperty owner in the city knows li(i\v well the work has been done. Ml public improvements were then 111 then incipiency. Mr. Tillson had the rare opportunity of being engag- ed in their development. They have giown to their present thorough com- leteness under his eye, and the most uf them under his direction. He is

CITY ENGINEER GEORGE W. TILLSON .MoUie E. .\bbott, at

CITY I'HYS1C1.\.N I«K. JOHN II. RALPH,

The City Council.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

_ WM. H. ALEXANDER, Alderman from llie Sevcmh Ward, is a native of Connecticut. When thirteen years of age he had finished the course of study provided by the public schools and immediately took up advanced branches under Thos. Hart Fuller, of Yale, and others. At seventeen, having a natural inclination and aptitude tor the legal profession, with mental and physical ability to meet its exacting requirements, Mr. Alexander began the reading of law with Hon. John T. Wait, now member of Congress from Connecticut. His father's ill-health, however, and other circumstances resulting from it, interrupted the legal study and shortly thereafter he set out to bear his part in the actual worl< of life. He taught in the public schools for nearly three years with gratifying success and was always an intelligent force in literary, social and religious affairs. In the fall of '^\ he left the old New England home for the more progressive West. At Quincy, III, Mr. Alexander engaged as salesman with the Whitney & Holmes Organ Company, and after six months' service was appointed superintendent of agencies with general power of attorney and the whole West for a field. The opportunities thus afforded for gathering information were promptly taken advantage of, and but few men are belter posted concerning the great Northwest than he. During his eight years of service with the organ company he was accredited correspondent of the Quincy Daily Whig. He prepared, among other interesting matter, historical sketches of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Kansas, which were widely copied and read. He attended the National Republican convention at Cincinnati, and reported the great Blaine meeting at Peoria in 1876; was with Colfax at a grand tri-county gathering in Farmer City, 111., and at his request reported the proceedings for the Chicago Inter-Ocean. The acquaintance then formed with that distinguished gentleman ripened into warmest friendship that lasted till his death. From 1S79 to '8S3 Mr. Alexander had charge of the extensive furniture house of Jansen Bros. & Co., at Lincoln, Nebraska; was one of the organizers of the Board ot Trade in that city; secretary of the Union Club, and was recognized as an active and valuable citizen. He came to Omaha in January, 1883, to take a position with Dewey & Stone in their mammoth furniture establishment. When the contract for "Twenty Years of Congress" was made with Mr. Blaine, Mr. Alexander was offered the general western agency for that great political history, and has since held control of its sale in the Trans- Missouri States. He has been quite largely interested in real estate, being now connected as senior partner with the firm of Alexander & Brigham, real estate and loan brokers. He stands high in the estimation of the people, and particularly so in the ward he represents in the Council. Mr. Alexander is a fine speaker, a genial companion, of unimpeachable integrity, and if so inclined could doubtless make his mark in a public way. He has a wife and two daughters, a pleasant home, and ought to be satisfied with life as it falls to his lot.

WILLIAM F. BECHEL was born in Canton, Ohio, February 27, 1841. In 1848 he removed with his parents to Akron, Ohio, and was educated at Hiram Institute, Hiram, Ohio, the late President Garfield being a professor there at the time. In 1861 Mr. Bechel enlisted in Company C, I07lh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served as second lieutenant of his company until 1862, when he resigned and entered the service of the Union Express Company at Akron. Subsequently he removed to Chicago, where he continued in the same business until 1S6S, when he removed to Sacramento, Cal., taking a position as cashier of Wells, Fav!;r. ,V- Vn. In 1870 he was transferred to Kansas City, Mo., holding the position of secretary to Mr. Cooper, superintendent of tin- r.,in]i n', ilure. In 1S75 M''- Bechel left the Wells, Fargo company to accept the position of auditor of the Kansas Pacific railroad . ; iiy, and

in 1S78 came to Omaha in the service of the same company. On November i, 1879, the Pacific Express Comp,;,. _: .l.ed and

Mr. Bechel was appointed auditor, which position he still holds, and in addition was in January, 1886, elcclc.l \\\^ .,i:vii.i.uy and a director of the company. The Pacific Express Company covers the territory from Toledo and Detroit in the East, to San Francisco and Portland on the Pacific, operating by rail, steamship and stage 20,000 miles, and by connection with other companies it reaches all eastern and southern Atlantic ports. The holding of such responsible positions as director, secretary and auditor in a company doing such a vast business, sufficiently testifies to Mr. Bechel's business capacity. In 18S4 Mr. Bechel was elected to the City Council for two years, and in 1885 was made president of that body. In 1886 he was re-elected for two years and again made president. On the reorganization of the council in 1887 under the new charter, Mr. Bechel was elected president for the third time, and by his thorough knowledge of parliamentary rules, the promptness of his decisions and the facility with which he disposes of business, the council is largely aided in its work. The system of city improvements — grading, paving and sewerage — had only been entered upon the year before Mr. Bechel went into the Council, and to his intelligent and public spirited co-operation as president of the Council is the city largely indebted for the faithful and efficient continuance of that system which is giving to Omaha as fine streets as any city in the country possesses. Mr. Bechel was also largely, if not chiefly, instrumental in securing the location of the city hall on Farnara street opposite the court house, thereby so concentrating the courts and offices of the county and city as when the city building shall be completed, to greatly expedite the puljlic business. Any city ma" consider itself fortunate in the possession of citizens who, like Mr. Bechel, have the capacity and willingness to serve it, and the integrity which assures that the service will be faithfully and con scientiously rendered.

FRANCIS A. BAILEY was born in England, July 6, 1833, and came to this country with his parents in 1850, settling at Cleveland, Ohio. Having learned the trade of brickmaking he established himself in that business at Cleveland before he was twenty- one, and continued in it until April, 1869, when he came to Omaha and engaged in the same business, for the first year alone, and afterwards in company with the late Samuel Cafferty. After his death, Mr. Bailey formed a partnership with Mr. Ole Olson, which still continues. The firm is largely engaged in contracting and building, using the entire product of their brick yards in their own building contracts. Among the fine buildings erected by them in Omaha as contractors is the Millard Hotel. Mr. Bailey was an early investor in real estate here, having bought ten acres west of Creighton College which has become by the progress of the city very valu.ible. In 18S5 Mr. Bailey was first elected to the Council as an Alderman-at-Large, and in 1887 was re-elected under the new charter to serve until January, 1890. This is the only official position which he has held, but as an active business man he became a member of the Board of Trade on its organization, and is a zealous promoter of the best interests of Omaha.

JEFFERSON W. BEDFORD was born in Lafayette county, Missouri, June 3, 1845, received his education in the common schools and at the Masonic College, Lexington. In 1S62-3 he was a member of the Third Colorado Cavalry, engaged in quelling Indian troubles on the plains. His regiment was a part of Col. Chivington's command at Land Creek, where such a terrible slaughter of Indians occurred as to completely end their further depredations in that quarter. In 1866 Mr Bedford engaged in merchandising at Lexington, Missouri, and there continued until 1877, when he went to JopUn, Missouri where he established a branch store and engagedin coal mining at Pittsburg, Kansas. In 1880 he went to Rich Hill, Missouri, where he opened up coal mines for the Mis- souri Pacific railroad, remaining there as superintendent for the company until 18S2, when he resigned and came to Omaha. Here he engaged in the coal and real estate business, from the latter branch of which he retired in January, 1887, to give exclusive attention ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ In May, 1887, Mr. Bedford was elected to the City Council under the new charter, to serve until January,

: interested in various enterprises, besides his special business, as stockholder, etc., and is one of the active and repre- sentative citizens of Omaha.

JACOB M. COUNSMAN is one of the quiet members of the Council. He is conservative and careful, but always on hand, and although naturally of a retiring disposition, he takes a deep interest in the proceedings and thoroughly posts himself on all im- portant city matters before acting. He was elected from the Fifth Ward last spring on the Republican ticket. Mr.-Counsman is one of the pioneers of Omaha in the Council. He is of German descent, was born in Blair county, Pennsylvania, on his father s farm, m 1837, and lived there until 21 years of age. He learned the trade of a carpenter and builder, which he has followed ever since. While living at home he was married to Miss Arabella Redmond, and with his young wife he left the old home and came West in 1861. He selected Omaha as the most likely town with a promise of the future, and set himself up m a small way as a carpenter and builder. His business has grown and prospered, and to day he is one of the largest contracting builders in the city. Mr. Counsman has always taken practical control of his work, and as he is a fine mechanic himself he always gives satisfaction. The result is that his business has grown to such proportions that it has made him rich. Mr. Counsman is a wide-awake, progressive man. He is enterprising and hardworking. He is held in high esteem by business men and capitalists and is popular with the labor classes, to which latter he belongs, being a member of their different organizations and high in their confidence. His election was due to his being a representative workingman, and he has been mindful of their interests during his term.

rge coa He is i

VAN CAMP. SNYDER.

THE CITY COUNCIL.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED .

LEAVITT BURNHAM was born in Essex, Essex coun^, Massachusetts, September 8, 1844. His educational advantages were confined to the common district schools of New England, and terminated at the age of 15, when he learned the carpenter trade and worked at it till he was 21. He first came to Omaha in 1S67, and again in 1869, since which last named date he has resided here continuously. During 1867 and 1869 he was engaged in surveying on the plains for the United States Government. In 1870 he entered the office of the late Watson B. Smith, Clerk of the U. S. Circuit Court, under whom, and later under the Hon. A. J. Pop- pleton, he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1S72. He continued to practice his profession until March, 1878, when he was appointed Land Commissioner for the Union Pacific Railway company, which office he filled until June, 1886. For several years Mr. Burnham has served as a member of the Board of Regents of the State University of Nebraska, and in May, 1887, was elected to the City Council under the new charter, to serve until January 1890.

JOHN F. BOYD was born in North Erookfield, Massachusetts, September 10, 1846, and received his education in the com- mon schools, of his native town. In 1865 he came to Omaha and engaged in the cattle business as a dealer. Continuing this up to 1879, he undertook the construction in that year of the Stock Yards in Council Bluffs, and when completed he was appointed superin- tendent, which position he still holds. In 1S84 he was employed to construct the Union Stock Yards at South Omaha for the same company, and when finished he was also made superintendent there. Practically, therefore, the immense stock business of these two points has for years passed through the hands of Mr. Boyd, as the active manager ot these two yards. In May, 1887, he accepted his first public ofiice, being then elected as one of the Councilmen-at-Large under the new charter, to serve untiljanuary, 1S90.

ISAAC S. HASCALL was born in Erie county. New York, in 1831; studied law in Buffalo and also in the office of Hon. L. Morris at Mayville, Chautauqua county, N. Y., and was adm tted to practice in all the courts of the State at a general term of the supreme court held in Buffalo in 1853. In 1854 he traveled through many of the southern states and then went to Kansas, passing the winter of 1854-5 at Ft. Riley. In the spring of 1855 he visited Nebraska and in the fall of that year returned to the State and was engaged in township platting of government lands in Nemaha and Otoe counties. Returning to Kansas he began the practice of law at .-vtchison, in partnership with Junius T. Hereford, continuing there four years, during which time he was elected to the constitu- tional convention of Kansas and served therein. On leaving Atchison he went to Colorado, Oregon, and into the mining regions of the territories, finally locating at Idaho City, Idaho, where he remained until the fall of 1864, when he went to California and thence by the Isthmus of Panama to New York. Mr. Hascall spent the following winter in further travel through different States, and in March, 1S65, reached Omaha, where he has since continuously resided. During his residence in Nebraska Mr. Hascall has been prominent in official life. He has been a member of a State constitutional convention of Nebraska, twice State Senator, Probate Judge, and is now serving his third term as a member of the City Council, where he is active in promoting all public improvements.

THOMAS J. LOWRY was born in Wales, November 12, 1847, and came to this country with his parents in December of the same year, landing at New Orleans. In the following May his parents removed to Muscatine, Iowa, where he continued to live receiving education in the common schools. In 1862, when fifteen years of age, he joined the Thirty-Fifth Iowa Volunteers and went south to Memphis, where a great many of the men were prostrated with sickness, young Lowry among the number. His father went down and took him home, and this ended his military experience. In April, 1865, he came to Omaha and entered the service of the Union Pacific Railway Company and so continued for twenty years until 1885, being employed in various capacities on trains and at stations, the last six years being in charge of the baggage station at Council Bluffs. In 1885 he resigned and engaged in the grocery business, which he sold out the next year. In April, 1886, he was elected to the city council for two years and has since given much of his time to city affairs.

P.\TRICK FORD is a self-raade man. He has come up from the ranks and is a product of the masses. Ten years ago he came to Omaha without a dollar, and was obliged to take the wages of the common laborer to keep the wolf from the door. Now he is one oi its best known citizens, enjoys a handsome fortune, has held several important public offices which he has filled with ability, and can afford to smile at the reverses of fortune met with in earily life. Mr. Ford is a native of Sligo county, Ireland, where he was born May 12, 1837. His youth was spent in his native country, and at arriving of age he followed the example of so many of his countrymen, and emigrated to this country, landing at Castle Garden, March 12, 1859. Three days afterwards he was engaged to labor in the Hocking Valley mines in Ohio. Mr. Ford lived in Pittsburg until 1864., earning his living working in tunnels and mines. He then moved to Maryland, where he made and lost his first start in life. He lived there until 1877, and by fortunate speculations with his savings amassed a fair competency which he lost during the great labor strike of that year. In the fall he removed with his family to Omaha, and commenced life again as a section hand, working for $1.30 per day. He was appointed on the police force, and served two years, at the end of which time he was made Street Commissioner, which latter office he held for two years. Mr. Ford was then chosen to represent the Third Ward in the City Council, and is now serving his second term. In 1885 he was the democratic nominee for Sheriff. Mr. Ford has a great personal following in his ward, and in the city, with whom he is very popular. He is one of the strongest men in the Council and wields a large influence in the affairs of the city. He is happily married, and has a bright family of three children, two boys and one girl.

CHARLES CHENEY, the member from the Fifth Ward, is one of the younger men in the Council. He is a Green Mountain boy, and was born in Northfield, Vermont, December 12, 1850. His father was a machinist, and during most of his life was employed in railway shops and on construction. When Charles was still a baby in arms the family moved to Indiana, where they lived six years, and thence when still further west, to Galesburg, III., where the elder Cheney held the position of Division master mechanic of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad until the time of his death, which occurred ten years later. During his youth young Cheney attended the.puDlic schools and took a course at Lombard College, acquiring a useful education. He was a natural mechanic and selected for his sphere in life that trade in which his father had earned an honest living. He accordingly became a machinist and worked at the trade until 1870, when, his father having died in the meantime, the young man struck out for himself and came West, locating in Omaha. He secured a position with the Union Pacific railroad in the company's shops. He has been continuously in the company's employ for the eighteen years he has been in Omaha. He is a faithful employee and is held in high esteem in the mechanical department by his superiors, and is popular with his fellow-workmen and his subordinates. He has the reputation of

being one of the most skillful machinists in the employ of the Union Pacific. Mr. Cheney was elected to the City Council last spr as a Republican, carrying the ward by the largest majority of any man on the ticket. He is not a politician, but the citizens of the Fifth Ward believed that he would watch the interests of the tax payers and deal with city affairs as an honest man. He has done

so. There h.as been no flummery nor demagoguery about his course in the Council. He is opposed at all times to publii jobs, and although he makes but little display, his work and votes are effective in support of the right measures at all times. .Mr. Cheney is happily married and lives a quiet domestic life at his home, 518 North Fourteenth street. His wife was Miss Maggie Fleming, daughter of Mitchell Fleming, whom he married in this city in 1874. They have two children, both girls.

F. W. MANVILLE was born in Genesee county. New York, April 26, 1833. When four years old his parents, as members of a colony formed at Genesee, New York, emigrated to Illinois and named their prairie settlement Genesee, after the old eastern home. From its earliest settlement Genesee, Illinois, has always been noted for its interest in schools. The founders of the town did not wait <:ven to build a log school house, but set up a skeleton structure formed of upright crotched poles, across which others were laid and covered with the canvas covers of their wagons, and Mr. Manville remembers distinctly attending school in that primi- tive structure until one more substantial could be built. Mr. Manville learned the trade of plasterer, and was engaged in that busi- ness when the South rebelled. Promptly, in 1S61, he enlisted in the Nin'h Illinois Cavalry and served until the close of the war, when he returned to his home and resumed his old business. In 186S he came to Omaha, and has here continued ever since the same calling, as master and contractor. He has ever since coming to Omaha been a resident of the Sixth Ward, of which for five years he was Assessor, and from which he was elected to the Council for two years in April, 18S6. He is a man of very positive convictions, but of liberal views, and what he considers for the best interests of his constituents and the city, he does not hesitate to firmly and faithfully support.

dMAifA TLLUstiiAfRnv

WiLLtAlVt 1 KIERSf EAD was born at Ann Arbor, Michigan, February 17, 1852, his father, Saniel Iflerstead, being one ot the pioneers of Wastenaw county, having lived in Ann Arbor and vicinity nearly fifty years, where he still resides. William began life as a newsboy on the Michigan Central railroad, which occupation he followed for a number of years on the Chicago and North- western, Union Pacific, the Central Pacific and other roads, and few persons are more familiar with the country from the Atlantic to the Pacific than he. For the past seven years he has held a responsible position with the firm of Dewey & Stone, who are among the largest wholesale and retail furniture dealers in America. Mr. Kierstead is an enthusiast on the future of Omaha, and firmly believes he will live to see it a city of half a million people. He has an elegant home at 3201 Farnam street, in which vicinity he owns some valuable property. He was elected to the Council last May, from the Ninth Ward, for a term of two years, receiving the very flatter- ing vote of two to one over his opponent. He was made chairman of the Finance Committee, and his record so far in the Council has fully justified the confidence of his constituents. His career is a good example of what energy and perseverance will accomplish in this western country ; beginning at the very bottom, he has worked his way up to wealth, and the respect and confidence of the people.

MICHAEL LEE was born in the county ot Limerick, Ireland, -Sept. 16, 1849. In boyhood he learned the trade of shoemaking. In 1869 he emigrated to the United States, landing at New York, where he lived a year, then went south to Mobile, Ala., where he lived two years and in 1S73 came to Omaha. He worked at his trade lor some time after coming to this country, but on coming to Omaha he engaged with the Grand Central Hotel, which occupied the present site of the Paxton Hotel until burned, and remained there five years. Then for a short time he went to the Withnell and jSlillard hotels, after which he engaged in the grocery business for two years, then for some time in the real estate business, the firm being Lee, Nichol & Co., and now with Mr. Nichol is the proprietor of an extensive boarding stable on the west side of the city. From his first coming to Omaha Mr. Lee has had the good sense to save a part of his earnings, however small, and the shrewdness to invest his savings in city property, and the result has justified his course, for he is now in very comfortable circumstances financially. In the spring of 18S5 he was elected to the City Council for two years, and in 18S7 was re elected foi another teim. Mr. Lee takes a prominent part in the meetings of the Council, and without making any pretentions to oiator\ is a good speaker and expresses himself always clearly and forcibly.

RESIDENCE OF LEAVITT BUFMIAM.

ALBERT M. KITCHEN was born in Dresden, Canada, January 21, tSG2, a.id ^ame to Omaha in 1879. Fo'' f'''"'- years he was employed as a clerk in a notion store, after which he went into the retail oil business, the establishment being now known as the Omaha Oil and Paint Company, of which Mr. Kitchen is president. He is also president of the Lincoln Paint and Color Company, a manafacturing company with a capital of $75,000, and $60,000 paid in. He is also president of the Gate City Land Company, having a capital of 1 100,000, and $50,000 paid in. This is a loan and investment company dealing largely in lands in Colorado, Nebraska and Iowa. Mr. Kitchen was elected to the Council under the new charter in .May, 1887, to serve until January, 1S90. For so young a man he has shown great business ability and enterprise, and it can reasonably be expected that he will prove a useful member of the city government and one who will fully justify the confidence which his constituents have reposed in him.

F. J. KASPAR was born in Bohemia, September 13, 1857. In 1869, when twelve years old, he came alone to the United States, going to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he worked upon a farm four years for his board and the opportunity to attend school. At the end of that time he came to Omaha and engaged in the Bee office press room. In 1879 he went on the police force and con- tinued there three years, the last year and a half being sergeant. On resigning from the police force he engaged in the liquor busi- ness, in which he continued until the spring of 1887, when he engaged in the newspaper business as one of the editors and publishers of a Bohemian weekly journal, the "Narodni Listy," which, with his partner, J. A. Hospodsky, he yet continues. In the spring ot 1886, he was elected to the City Council for two years. Mr. Kaspar is an active, enterprising man, and has various other interests beside his paper, among them being the manufacture of brick. He takes great interest in everything calculated to advance the material welfare of Omaha, and has proved himself an intelligent and faithful member of the city government.

CH.A.RLES L. VAN CAMP was born in Canada, December 7, 1S47, and came to Omaha with his parents in 1855, since which time this city has been his home. He was educated in our public schools, and when old enough to engage in business he became a dealer in sand, and contractor, in the latter capacity doing a large amount of work for the Union Pacific railway company in this city and county and giving employment to a large number of men. Later he became largely interested in real estate investments and now wholly devotes himself to these and to improving his property by the erection of dwellings, having withdrawn from all other business. His residence has always been just beyond the city limits until the new charter of 1H87 authorized the extension of the boundaries, which included his home, and he was then nominated and elected as one of the new Councilmen-at-Large, to serve until January, 1890. Mr. Van Camp has been a witness of Omaha's growth from a little muddy village to a great, beautiful and prosperous city, and in many ways an active agent in the work oi development.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

ADAM SNYDER Is serving his first terra in the City Council as a member from the Third Ward. Mr. Snyder is of German descent, and was born in Baltimore, M.xrylaud, in 1S43, wliere ha lived until after the breaking out of the war. In 18O2 Mr. Snyder left home to seek his fortune in the West, and passed various short periods of time in Indiana, St. Louis and Springfield. He then returned to Maryland and remained until 1871, when he again concluded to go West, and this time to stay. In that year he came to Omaha, already a live, bustling town, with great prospects, which Mr. Snyder has lived to see verified. He began business in a small way, and has prospered greatly, now doing the largest general meat business in the city. By carefulness, frugality, attention to business and honest dealing he has reached independent circumstances. Mr. Snyder was married November 25, 1876, and now lives very hapjjily with his wife and one child. As a business man he possesses the confidence and esteem of his fellow tradesmen. He firmly believes in the future of Omaha, and, in the Council, has taken the liberal position in matters of public improvements. He is opposed at all times to private schemes and ever watchful of the interests of the public. He is one of the most regular in attendance of the members and his vote can always be counted upon the right side. The Omaha City Council is mostly a body of business men, and .\dam Snyder is one of the best representatives of his class. His course, so far, has not only commended itsell to his constituents but to the entire public at large.

Chicago, St. Paul, INIinncapolis and Omaha's direct line to St. Paul. The Omaha and South- president, was built to Lincoln in 1S69. In 1872 it passed into the control of the Burlinijton and Missouri River Railroad in Nebraska ; It was in fact the parent stem of that great road. The Bur- ngton Railroad is so closely identified with the growth and piosperity of Omaha, that it may perhaps be of interest to outline here a brief sketch of Its progress and development. The Chicago, Burlington and Ouincy Railroad, the parent

road •\\ lb formed b\ a con solidation, Jul} 9, 1856, of the Chicago and Aurora and Central Military Tract Rail- roads, the two extending from a point in Illinois about thir- teen miles northeast of Au- rora (Turner Junction) to Galesburg, Illinois, the total mileage being 151 miles. In i860 and 1862 it acc|uired the Northeastern and the Peoria and Oquawaka Railroads, thus extending its line to Ouincy and Burlington, after which the compan\' built a track and extensions were bought or b the Burlington and IMiss.uiri Riv. Missouri River, and at the end of Burlington and Missouri River R;

iMilliillMlfllil HH

-:t^r^'X^

iies

RESinEN'CF. OK F. I

vn from Atirora to Chicagi

[uick succession, until in 18

iiad in Iowa. This road extended from Burlington to the

le com[)an\- had increased its mileage to 1,031 miles. The

n Nebraska was act^uired in 1S80, and also the Kansas City,

iM-om th.it ti it acquired b)-

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

St. Joseph and Council Bluffs Railroad. In iSSi and 1S82 extensions and new lines were added to the extent of 405 miles, making the total mileage operated at the close of 1882, 3,229 miles. It was in the spring of the latter year that the line from the Nebraska State boundary to

Denver was opened, and this same year the St. Louis, Keokuk and Northwestern Railway was acquired by lease. In 1SS3, the Hanni- bal and St. Joseph Railroad was added to the Burling- ton system. Branch lines are c o n s t a n 1 1 )- being opened, and particularly is this the case in Nebraska and Kansas, where during the past )-ear 800 miles have been completed, the close of the present year witness- ing a branch leaving the main line at Holdrege, Ne- braska, completed through to Che)'enne, \V)-oming. The Burlington has also ac- I'ithin the last sixty days the Denver, Utah and Pacific Railroad, a narrow guage road from Denver to Lynns, Colorado, a distance of forty miles. This will make a total mile-

quired runninc

age for the Burlington sys- tem, at the present time, of 5,580 miles. The head- quarters of the Burlington for all lines west of the Missouri are located in Omaha, and from this point over 2,000 miles of road are operated. It can readily be understood that it is there- fore a pre-eminently great line for Omaha, bringing to its doors the products of the vast region penetrated by its lines, the grain, stock and mineral regions of Ne- braska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. Its em- ployes in this city number resipence of j. m. counsman.

over 200. The Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley line, which has about 1,200 miles of road in operation in Nebraska, Wyoming and Dakota, had its inception in the construction of a branch line from Missouri Valley, on the east bank of the Missouri River, twenty miles north of Omaha, to

DMA HA IL L U ST R ATED .

Fremont, Nebraska. It was designed as a feeder to what was then termed the "Blair system" of lines. In 1871 it was acquired b_\- lease b)' the Chicago and Northwestern Railway, and extended to

Norfolk, Nebraska, un- , to drain Northern Ne-

der the name of th

Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Road. Since then other extensions have been made, until now it extends later- ally across the whole State, and beyond, into W}'oming, w i t h the avowed intention of the parent road to u 1 1 i- mately make it a trans- continental line. It should also be stated that a branch of the line extends to the north from Chadron, Nebraska, into the Black Hills. Passing to the north of Oma- ha, making it possible the vast region to the

HON. CHAKLES FRANCIS kV \\:~ , TRESTDENT U.

braska of its products without consideration of this city, and being withal a corporation identified closely with Chicago, the Chicago and Northwestern road has for years been re- garded as inimical to Omaha's interests, but the great growth of this city in the past five }-ears has wrought a seeming change in the working policy of the road. From a de- ^^irable point on its Ne- braska line it has built a short road, giving direct communication between Omaha and ines penetrate. It has also removed to Omaha the west of the Missouri River and is thus Omaha's railroad

t which headquarters for the operation o all its lines

ident.f3-ing itself ^gmm^mmmm^;mTt ,„ri

with the western ,' metropolis i n a satisfactory man- ner. It is a strong and prosperous corporat ion, its lines traverse a rich stock and ag- ricultural section, and is the only line penetrat i n g the Black Hills, whose mineral wealth it daily brings to the great smelting works in Omaha One of the import- ant fc a t u re s of

one of which, the Kansas, Nebraska ami Omaha, is graded from a point in southwestern Kansas to the Nebraska line, and will soon be completed to Omaha, thus giving access to the cattle regions of

UNION PVCIFIC HE

system is the Belt Line, a local cor- poration which has a railroad circling the city, and rcach- i n g into South Omaha, thus giv- ing all future cor- porations seeking ingress to Omaha a con\'cnient and e h e a p method. ]?esidcs the great mcs alread)- men- tioned as bringing tiibute to Omaha, there are three others projected,

OUa/ZA ILI.VSTliATUt).

[A foremost figure in the -western railway world is Thomas J. Potter, the first vice-president and general manager of the UniOtl Pacific Railway, and who is a citizen of Omaha and a believer in its future. Mr. Potter was born in Carroll county, Ohio, on the i6th

of August, 1840. He came West and located in Iowa, first en- tering railway service in July, 1862, as a lineman in the engin- eering corps then surveying the line of the Burlington & Missouri River railroad in Iowa. Six months later, or early in 1863, Mr. Potter enlisted in the Seventh Regiment of Iowa cavalry. He enlisted with the expectation of entering service in the war of the rebellion, but about that time the Indians in Nebraska, Ihon the western frontier, were becoming troublesome and as the construction ol the Union Pacific Railway was being ham- pered by them, the regiment to which Mr. Potter belonged was ordered to Ft. Kearney and from that post the troops were de- tailed to guard the road constructors and chase the marauding Indians. When his regiment was mustered in 1S66 Mr. Potter had risen to a captaincy. He then entered the service of the road he had helped survev, as station agent at Albia, lo.va. In 1S68 he was made special'claim and fuel agent of the roSd with headquarters at Burlington , and remained in that capacity until the Burlington and Missouri River in Iowa was absorbed by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad, w hen he became a general agent of that corporation with headquarters at Creston, Iowa. In August, 1S73, he was again promoted to the assistant superintendency of the Iowa division and in February, 1875, was further elevated to the position of superintendent. In December, 1879 he was made assistant general manager with headquarters at Chicago, one year later becoming the general manager of that great corporation. In 1884 he also became fust vice-president and thus remained at the practical head of the conqjany's affairs until May 15, 1887, when he accepted a s] lended ofi'er from the Union Pacific Railway, becoming its first vice-president and general manager at a salary said to be the largest ever paid a working railroad official. Since that date he has been a resident of Omaha, chiscly devnting himself to the tangled affairs of the great railroad of which he took charge, and a splendid showing he is making, the earnings be- ing l.irgely increased and the operating expenses greatly cur- Inili'd. Mr. Potter is a thorough railroad man. He began at 1! I ,' Ml. ! ;:.1s and now, while yet in his prime (forty-seven - . . ] li 1^ risen by merit and practical knowledge to be

■■" I • 11 111 11. easily a|iproacliable, but of a firm demeanor

and a man who is at once respected for his convictions and

self-reliance. He has the fullest respect of his associates,

is so good a judge of men that he makes no mistakes about those

man of influence in the party councils. He is married and happy

g family.]

[One of the best known radnnd niLU m this country is Thomas Lord Kimball, of the L luon Pacific. He was born in Buxton, York count), Maine, Octobei I, 1831, and lived with his parents on a fann till he was seventeen years of age. He then enteied upon a course of academic study, and taught school duung his vacations till his twenty-fust year, when he engaged m commercial and express business, in uhich he continued for four years. In 1856 Mr. Kimball M^Ued most of the western States, and a year later removed with his family to the Western Reserve, in Ohio, ami icMded theie until early in 1S59, when he located in Cmcmmii. Duung the following year he turned to account his eailier expenence as an amateur newspaper writer and repoitei, and pub lished a series of articles on the West ami in the mteiests of the Pennsylvania railroad company He \\ as emplov c.l in the service of that company for thieejtais as its'soulh western passenger agent, five years as assist m* c 1 nl] senger agent, and three years as geneiaU\c^i 1 agent. In March, 1871, Thomas A. Sc it president of the Union Pacific Railway Comi 1 x n i \l Kimball, who had been intimately associued wuh Imn in the service of the Pennsylvania company foi t\M.h>. consecutive years, was appointed by All. Scott to llic position of general passenger and ticket agent < f lli Union Pacific. It was in that year, 1871, th u Mi Knn ball came to Omaha and has ever since il II

During this long period — nearly seventien \ 1 M Kimball has remained with the Union PaciliL llii n^h m all changi^ 1 f a Im;! J-.i uion. For ten )eai>he hllnl the office to w : I ; V ,, lust appointed, geneial passengei and tickei 11 is then promoted to be assistant

general ni 1 1 -1 1, w'-.w \\ office he filled for four years. The next three years he was the geneial tnflic manager of the Union Pacific system, which had giown to vast ]>ro- portions and which required a man of gieat executive ability, such as Mr. Kimball is acloiowledged to be, at its head. On September I, 1887, he was appointed as- jistant to the first vice-president, which position he now

;'T TO FIRST

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

occupies. 1 especially f the liigh' e. Rogers, Es. goieral in.i

Kimball is a very thorough and systematic railroad man. He is master of every detail and in the science of railroading, a commercial standpoint, he has but few equals in this country. His long connection with the Union Pacific attests m in which his services are held. Mr. Kimball was married in 1854 to Mary P. Rogers, daughter of Nathaniel P. pshire. They have four chj^ldren. _ The eldest daughter, Francis, is the wife of George W. Holdrege, " ' '' Nebraska; the second daughter, Arabel, resides with her parents; of 1887, and is now in liostoii engaged

., of New Ha iger of the B is a graduate of til e"M jioii. The youngest !

J. S. TELBETS, GF.N'I. P. & '

d Missouri River Railroad i

letts School of Technology in tlie architectural cla hard K., is a student iu lioston.]

[J. .S. Tebbets the general passenger and ticket agent of the Union Pacific railway, is the son of a Unitarian clergyman, ^nd was born in Medford, Mass., on the 4th day of July, 1858. He was educated in the Latin school, Doston, and in Harvard University, graduating from that institution in the summer of iSSo. He first entered railroad service as a truckman in the local freight depot of the Boston and Albany railroad at I'.oston on the 22d of November, 1S80. There he worked for a num- ber of months, being finally put in charge of the export busi- ness of the road which came from the West. He entered the general offices of the same road in a minor capacity on the 1st of September, iSSi. Two years later he was made chief clerk of the general freight department of the road. In April, 1SS4, he went to East Albany, New York, to organize and take charge of the joint transfer freight house of the Boston and Al- bany and New York Central roads. On the 1st of October, 1S84 he came West and entered the general freight office o£ the Union Pacific railway in this city, and from that, dates a remarkably successful- career in the railway world, promotion following promotion until now he is at the head of the passen- ger department of the great railroad whose service he entered three years ago as a clerk March i, 1S85, he was appointed division freight agent of the road, with headquarters at Salt Lake City. January i, 1886, he was appointed assistant gen- eral freight agent, with headquarters at Kansas City. On the 1st of SL-pteinber, 1887, the Potter management called him to the head of the general passenger department, the onerous duties ut wliich ])osition he is still discharging with efficiency. Mr. I'clii" N I, I ..iiiLing example of what a young man with nnplish. No man of his years ranks rid, and few, if any, have achieved :tion in so limited a time.]

hi. die

AGT.

Fred-

[ E. L. Loinax, the assistant gcner ticket agent of the Union Pacific railway, v ericksburg, Virginia, on Uie J5U1 ..f IVb.uary, 1852. He was educated at C.iluml.ia UnixeiMly, in that state, taking a full cour:,e in civil and mining cngincti ing. When seventeen years of age he entered the I'niud Stales engineer corps under General J. H. Wilson, Uk n in oniniand of the department of the Northwest, with headquarters at Keokuk, Iowa. In 1870 he entered railway service as local licUcl clerk at Burling- ton, Iowa, of the Burlington & Missouri railroad, under .V. E. Touzalin, then the general passenger an<l ticket agent of the road. In 1872 he entered the general offices of the Central Iowa railroad atMarshalllown, and two years later went to the St. Louis and Southeastern railroad as assistant to the general freight and passenger agent, with headquarters at St. Louis. He was soon promoted to the position of assistant general passenger agent, a position he held until 1879 "hen he accept- ed a like position with a larger corporation, the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southwestern railroad. In iSSi he was ap- pointed general passenger and ticket agent of the Toledu, Cincinnati and St. Louis road with headquarters at Toledo, Ohio. Shortly afterward he went to the Chicago, Burlinginn and Quiney road as chief clerk of the local service, under Percival Lowell, at Chicago. Laler he beeanio chief clerk ,il" the foreign service, and iu 1SS4 wis mil- a-isi.mi gen ril passenger agent, which position li.' reM-nel in ^. |.i. in!i. 1 , 1887, to accept the position of a-.M^l ml g neiil ]i,i,, ng 1 and ticket agent of the Union Pacific r.ulu ay under J. S. I'el.lieis and the Potter management of that road. Mr. Lomax has had an extensive railroad experience, serving in almost every capacity in both the freight and passenger departments. I le is an efficient and capable man ami a popular gentleman as well, who will be heard oi \ ' ' ' '

'her circles of the railroad world.

E. L. LO.M

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

EDWARD DICKINSON, GEN. SUPT. U. I>.KY.

[Edward Dickinson, the general superintendent of the Union Pacific Railway, was born October 8, 1850, at Cumberland, Maryland. At the age of thirteen he entered the railway service as a messenger boy in the freight office of the Cleveland and Toledo Railroad, continuing in that capacity two years, meanwhile study- ing telegraphy. In 1865 he entered the employ of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad as a telegraph operator and clerk, three years later becoming the assistant train dispatcher of the road. In 1S70 he became train baggagemaster and express mes- senger, but after service of a year or so at that, came west and en- tered the service of the Union Pacific Railway as train dispatcher. I'l.r seven years he discharged the duties of that important position In the eminent satisfaction of his employers, so well in fact that in 1 ^78 he was awarded deserved promotion and made a division superintendent. In 1883 he became general superintendent of llie Wyoming Division, continuing in that capacity until the acces- sion of Mr. Potter to the general management of the road, when Mr. Dickinson was made the general superintendent of all the lii cs, an important trust for a man not yet out of the thirties, but line whose duties he discharges to the entire satisfaction of the I orporation. Mr. Dickinson is of a genial, sunny temperament, but I liard worker. When there are duties to be performed he devotes liimself closely to them and his keen knowledge of the details of Ills Inisiness enables him to accomplish his ends speedily and salis- Inctorily. It would be commendation enough to say that he lias liL-en so highly honored by the Potter management of the road, but the excellent results achieved since he has been general superin- tendent show that the commendation is not beyond his merit. Out- side of his official station Mr. Dickinson is highly esteemed and popular, and has a wide circle of friends. He is a citizen of Omaha and an enthusiastic believer in his chosen city.l

lias won distinctioi vay. He was born

[No man in the railway servii freight agent ot the Union Pacific R: and fondness for railroading that called forth much comment. His father was an influential minister of Bradford, and in cir- cumstances which placed a college education within the reach of young Munroe. He studied with flattering success at Andover College, and afterwards entered Dartmouth College, where it was intended he should prepare for Harvard. The death of his father demanded a change of plans, so that he never entered Harvard, but shortly after the sad event, came west to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he entered the employ of the Green Bay and Minnesota Railway as clerk successively of the passenger and freight departments. His ability was not long in being recognized, and he was promoted to be general freight agent of the road, which position he resigned to accept that of general agent of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha, with headquarters at Omaha. Before he had held this office a year he was called to fill the position of assistant traffic manager of the same road at Minneapolis and resigned this posi- tion to return to Omaha as assistant general freight agent of the Union Pacific December 20, 1882. He was tendered the posi- tion of first assistant general freight agent with headquarters at Kansas City October 4, 1884, and in January, 1886, was called back to Omaha to accept the office of general freight agent of the Union Pacific, which he still holds. Mr. Munroe is little over thirty-four years of age, yet he is recognized as one of the ablest railroad men in the country, and has won his eminence by neither influence nor accident, but by efficient application to a business for which nature had admirably adapted him. Plis present position is one which has always taxed the greatest re sources that any previous incumbent could command, and is admittedly one of the most onerous offices in the service, espec- ially as applied to the Union Pacific, whose tremendous system unavoidably involves questions connected with the subject of freights which require the greatest possible discretion in their treatment. Mr. Munroe has a tact and facility in handling thes

by:

.lal merit of ability than John A. Munroe, the 18, 1853, and while a mere boy developed an ;

putation second to none.]

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

the Indian Territory and Texas. Another, the Omaha Northern, a line to run north to Yankton and bej-ond into the rich Jim Ri\'cr Valley, is designed as an extension of Jay Gould's Missouri Pacific system, which now has a terminus in Omaha Tim Chicayo, Milwaukee and St. Paul has a

line surveyed westward from Omaha, and intends to bridge the Missouri at this point, and thus extend its line at present terminating here. The busi- ness men of the city are also considering the construction of a railroad to the North- west. On this railroad ques- tion it maybe noted that up- wards of 1 20 passenger trains arrive and depart from Oma- ha daily, a vast percentage of these being " local," that is, devoted to rapid communica- tion wiih the suburban and outlying towns which do busi- ness with Omaha. In 1S70 there were onl)- 600 miles of railroad in Nebraska ; now there are over 3,000 miles.

PALACE M ABLE, SE\ ENTEENTU AND DAVENrORT. ^g furthcr e V 1 d C n C C of

the great resources of the section of which Omaha is the central point, it may be stated that careful estimates place the population of the Missouri Valley from Dakota to St. Louis, as follows :

POPULATION.

,634.57"

5S9o5,^

1SS7

Per cent, of increase, 177

States and Territories west of the Missouri River anc Iowa, show :

POPULATION.

1SS7 10,025,792

i860 2,270,038

Per cent, of increase, 3417^

In Nebraska the increase ha; been :

POPULATION 1,036,900 28,841 5.457

ler cent, ol increase, Omaha leads all west e r n cities in the percentage of in- crease of po[)ulation from 1880 to 1887. The princip.il western cities show the fol- lowing : Leavenworth, Kan- sas, 88 per cent. ; Council Bluffs, Iowa, no per cent. ; Denver, Colorado,l2S percent. ; Kansas City, Missouri, 151 per cent. ; Omaha, 228 per cent. No city in the Union offers such splendid induce- ments for the investment of capital. It is in fact the " Young Giant of the West," a rapidly grow- ing, prosperous, handsome city — the future great commercial rival of Chicago.

GLIAIPSES OF SOUTH OMAHA.

South Omaha

BOUR miles from the Omaha Postoffice, in a broad valley admirably adapted to the purpose, are located the Union Stock Yards, which in 1884 was the nucleus about which has since grown the suburban tow n of South Omaha, and where are now located the big packing houses whose product

aye

(IL is thirteen years since Edward Creighton died, and that he is so well and honorably remembered in the Omaha of to-day, lis memory respected by the thousands who have come here after he was no more, but illustrates how great was his service to the aunily, how broad and endiirino; a mark he mode upon hi'; times. Nn one man did so much to sustain Omaha in its early and

; days as Edward Creightc houd. He was born in Bel mont county, Ohio, August 31 . 1S20, of Irish parentage. Hi^ early days were passed upon ;i farm, but at the age of twentx he took the contract for bulM ing part of tiie National stagi-' road from Wheeling, WJ-^i Virginia, to Springfield, Ohio

ing/ln~sVbut U w,"s''nol unldiS^yiluuheenl.ix.lupon that branch of it in wVikU li^' achieved his greatest -,uccr~- and laid the foundation of hi^ after fortunes. In that year he received the contract for and constructed a telegraph line between Springfield and Cin cinnati. 'I'o this business he devoted his time and energies for five years, being success- fidly engaged in the construc- tion of telegraph lines in all p.irls of the country, complcl ing the line from Cleveland lo Chicago in 1852. In 1830, while engaged in telegraph construction in Missouri, AIi. Creighton visited Omaha and his brothers, John A., Janus, and Joseph, and his cousin James, locating here, he re turned to Ohio where ho wedded Mary Lucretia Ware ham, of Dayton, and in 1S57 hnuself came to Omaha and

elegr

Hei

Mr

THE LATE EP

iid triumph in the flush of : connection with the outer world, via St. Louis. For yen IS Mr. Creighton had en-

Iciiained a pet project — the I mi Id ing of a line to the Pacific ■.'i.isi — and in the winter of I ^' o - after many conferences Willi the wealthy stockholders -I I he Western Union com- pany, a preliminary survey

hc'^i'i.-c c''nch was" the

cr from Indians and road Is. In the stage coach Creighton made his way alt Lake City, where he led the interest and sup- of Brigham Voung, the L head of the Mormon ch, in his project. It had arranged to associate the brnia State Telegraph pany in the enterprise, on to Sacramento in mid- Mr. Creighton pressed on horseback. It was a terri- ble journey, but the man who nuiie it was of stout heart, and In 1.1 ,i\t il the rigors of the 111 ;'i: 1 - nd accomplished ii- nil ; . ,inil in the spring Ml i.NiJi .Ml. Creighton returned 111 1 1 m aha to begin his great ^\ ik. Congress had meau- i\ 1 1 ilc granted asubsidy of $40,- 000 a year for ten years to the company which should build the line. Then a great race was inaugurated for heavy wagers ,veie buddnig eastward, to see which should re'ach ims only 450, but Mr. Creighton reached Salt Lake

ions construction toice and the California contractors wli Salt Lake Citv first. Mr. Creighton had 1,100 miles to construct and the Caliloi , .^ .

City on the seventeenth of October, one week ahead of his competitors. On October 24, but a little over six months after the prise was begun, Mr. Creighton had estaldished telegraphic communication from ocean to ocean. He had taken $100,000 of the stock of the new enterprise at about eighteen cents on the dollar, and when the project was completed the company trebled its stock Mr. Creighton's $io(j,ooo becoming $300,000. The stock then rose to 85 cents and he sold out $100,000 for $850,000, still retaining $200,000 of the stock. He continued in the telegraph construction business until 1867, his great cattle interests in which he had embarked in 1864, and his gic.U pl.iins freighting business established before the building of the Union Pacific and continued even after its completion, Im ili - in 114 1 j :,..'f Montana and Idaho, then exacting his attention. During all these years of great business success, Mr. Creiglii 11 , 11 netoOmaha. He was the first president of the First National Bank in the cily and ever

ready to aid by his iin 1- , 1 ! - < mrprise for the furtheringof Omaha's interests. He commanded the confidence of all the

people, his sterling ini , \ in ^ fidelity combining with his generous and charitable nature to make him n very lovable

man. No m.in his an nnl.m i -;, . 1 I ni ^ -, . I Edward Creighton and his memory is revered to this day as an upriglu. iu-i ami kind man who, out of lii, ovmi su 1 Iin- ^pi iliii ^ liail wrought a successful and honorable career. He was stricken \\\\\\ paiaK^is and died November 5, iS74. To lii^ nminoM , ( mi- In on College was erected and endowed by his relict in response to his oxmi wi^h. expressed (hiring his life tiiiin, lo f mini a linn in-iiiiuioii for the non-sectarian education of youth without regard to crcc.! m snnt — the institu-

only

has given Omaha rank as the third city in the Union in meat manufacture. In the year named, a number of local capitalists who had interests in stock-raising, formed an association for the purpose of building stock yards and centralizing here the great cattle interests of the West. They pur- chased a tract ot 400 acres and built their stuck yards, and a glance at the enterprise to-day shows

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

what a success has been achieved in three years. It has been the policy of the management to offer such splendid inducements to packers that they can well afford to locate at their yards. There are now five of the heaviest concerns engaged in handling meats located at South Omaha, and their great slaughtering and packing houses have created such a demand that the business of the stock yards has increased until now the daily receipts of hogs, cattle and sheep will average over $100,000 worth per day. A glance at some of the ofificial figures will illustrate how important an adjunct of

[John A. Creighton was boni in Licking county, Ohio, on tlie 15th of October, it engaged in farming. When John A. was twenty-one "he entered St. Joseph's Dominical Two years later he joined with his brother Edward, in the telegraph construction b Missouri and later to Omaha, June 10, 1856. Mr. Creighton entered upon some land i breaking the virgin soil. In 1.S59 he clerked for J. J. & R. A. Brown, pioneer merchants of the city, and in May, i860, went to Denver, Colorado, in connection wdth J. J. Brown, with a cattle freight train. In 1861 the great overland tele- graph line was constructed and Mr. Creighton materially aided his brother Edward, wlio was the originator of the project. The next vear he took a cattle train with'supplics to Salt Lake and sold the whole outfit to Brigham Young. In 1863, in company with James Creigli ton, his cousin, he took a cat tie train and supplies to Mon- tana, the gold find excitement being great at that time. He located in Virginia City and re- mained there three years, car rying on a merchandise busi- ness. Mr. Creighton returned to Omaha in 1S66, and again turned his attention to telegraph construction, building the line fiom Salt Lake City to Virginia City that year, and extending it to Helena the next. In January, 1868, he returned to Omaha and under the firm name of Creighton & Morgan, estab- lished a wholesale grocery house. In 1S70 Mr. Creightoii disposed of his interest in tlic firm to Benj. Gallagher. Mr. Creighton engaged in a general forwarding business thence 011 until 1874, when his brothei Edward died, leaving a great estate which required the atteii-

benevolence and Christian work in any form. He is ; ests of religion in the west. Personally he is popular exercised a large influence upon his party. He was a delegate to the Na ver Cleveland. Mr. Creighton was married in June, 1868, to Sarah E. Wareham, who ! of an honorable life blessed with a fullness of this world's goods.]

iber of the Ca Though he h

,- ,11 I r,es of Ireland and ~ I . ! 1 IV county, Ohio.

I-;; ■,-ht him west to

;. , I, , : ,!hc.l his attention to ii'j.'i of the subject of this sketch as administrator. Two years after when Edward's widow died, Mr. Creighton was the principal heir to the vast estate and he in fact took his late brother's place in the hand- ling of the great accumulations. He was also one ot the trustees of the endow-ment of Creigh- ton College and charged with tlie constuiction of that monu- ment to his brother's memory; and right nobly he acquitted his trust. Mr. Creighten is to- day a man of great wealth. He has been one of the firmest believers in Omaha and proba- bly today holds more of the valual)le real estate of the city than any other individual. His capital has been liberally em- ployed, too, for the advance- ment of Omaha's interests. He was one of the projectors of the nail works enterprise, a large stockholder in the cable street railway, heavily interest- ed in the syndicate which has built up South Omaha and is Vice-President of the First Na- tional Bank. In temperament Mr. Creighton is a genial, warm-hearted gentleman, gen- erous to a fault and always ready to extend assistance to the afflicted or the worthy poor. He takes especial pleasure in furthering the charitable pur- poses of St. Joseph's Hospital, largely sustaining the institu- tion with his means. He is also devoted to the cause of as done much to furtlicr the inter- ]iol'itical preferment he has always igo in 18S4 which nominated Gr'o- ilh him the comforts and pleasures

Omaha's commercial interests, South Omaha has become. The yards were opened August i, 1884- During the five months of that year the receipts and shipments were as follows :

Cattle Hogs.

RECEIPTS. 88,416 3.792

The difference between receipts and shipments indicates the consumption of the packing- houses, and it will be well to notice how rapidly this difference increased. In 1885 the following showing was made :

RECEIPTS. SHIPMENTS.

Cattle 124,100 82,862

Hogs 153.568 75.173

Sheep 19.504 8,347

OMA HA IL L USTK A TED .

The following year saw a still further increase in receipts and a sti sumption by the meat manufacturers, as witness these totals :

furtiicr increase of con-

Cattle 148,515

Hogs 447.379

Sheep 41.490

89,476 210,732 2^.943

[James Creighton, a fust cousin of Edward and John A. Creighton, was among the eaily pioneers of Omaha. He was born in sey cuiuuy, Ohio, March I, 1S22, the oldest of a family of six children. His father was a s'lperintendent of construction on the al turnpike which was being built through Ohio, under the internal improvement policy of President Adams, and from this youlhlul James acquired liis first knowledge of public works. With his father he continued in contract work of this kind

l^hf;

until iSs3. He had in 1S49, Sarah Ann McCristal, who died in '53. Mr. Creigh- ton then engaged in the mer chaudise business untd 1S55, when he married EUza M Largey, and moved to the West, locating temporardv in Missouri, thence in Iowa and finally in Omaha, May 26, 1856. Here he entered upon land and engaged in farming After proving up on his claim he commenced the freighting business, going to Denver that year with supplies- In 1S61 he was associated with Ed ward Creighton in the bu: ing of the overland tele having the contract the poles for that section l\ii ^ between Ft. Laramie and 1 i Bridger. In 1862-3 he c 1 tinned in the freighting buM ness, his trips across the plains, in 1863, making a total of 4,000 miles a great achieve ment in those days of cattle trains. In 1863 an assocnti n was formed by Edwaid, John A. and James Creighton and J. J. and R. A. Brown, for the purpose of sending supply trains to Alder Gulch, Men tana, where the gold excite ment was dominant. Cattle trains were loaded with mer chandise and brought to the mines, the trains returnmg with miners seeking then « ay back to the States. In 1865 Mr. Creighton engaged in contracting, and constructed a

idea of public duty, whose sense of right, was never opinion in the city, and his judgment in municipal matt« a competency which he is enjoying in a quiet way. children living.]

portion of the Union Pacific railroad. He returned to Omaha on the death of his wife and from that date re- mained permanently in Oma- ha. Mr. Creighton has always been a man of marked inili- viduality and a foremost citi- zen in Omaha's affairs. He was appointed to the first City Council when Omaha incor- porated, and was re-elected a number of terms. He was also a member of the Stale Legislature of 1877. When the widow of Edward Creigh- t n died, leaving an estate of 1 I ill ions, Mr. James Creigh- 1 ill, with John A. Creighton uid Herman Kountze, was 1 allied a trustee of the Creigh- t 11 college endowment, and until the completion of that structure his attention was largely devoted to the project. In 1882 when Omaha entered upon its great era of public improvements, Mayor Boyd selected Mr. Creighto for chairman of the first bonrd of public works, and it was dur- ing the two years of his service m that capacity that Omaha laid in its fine streets, the foundation of its present met- ropolitan importance. So well did he discharge his trust that a second term was ten- dered him, but he declined, and again in 1887 the Mayor pressed the appointment upon him, without avail. Mr. Creighton is a man whose iverved by public opinion or selfish purpose. He has been a leader of : has always been consulted. He has by industry and honest effort amassed Mr. Creighton married his present wife in t868, and has nine of fifteen

J\MEb CRLILtHTON

It is seen that the receipts of hogs were in iSS6 nearly treble those of 1885, and that a like proportion of consumption prevailed. But even great as was the business done in 18S6, that of 18S7 surpasses it. as is seen by this statement, given by months :

CATTLE.

HOGS.

RECEIPTS. SHIPKENTS.

January 10,912 7.246

February 12.430 7,431

March 20,480 13.327

April 15,265 7,557

May 22,288 '3,957

June 19,376 12,747

July 15.705 9.356

August 22,923 14,6x0

September 34.046 24,953

October 32.483 22,970

November 20,252 14,109

December 13.103 5,901

Totals 229,263 154,164

RECEIPTS.	SHIPMENTS.
62,647	8.4
56,569
86,121	15.082
64.547 86,841	5.332
5.755
119.594	37.426
93.912	21,380
93.441	25,622
78,338	6,589
52.093	4.989
137.591	14.333
153.840	18,348

i,i86,S34

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

During 1887 the receipts of sheep were 76,014, and the shipments were 50,449. Look now at the growth of receipts in three years :

SHEEP. CATTLE HOGS.

'885 i9'5°5 124,100 153,568

if86 41,490 I48,5'5 447.379

1887 7t^>o'4 229,263 i,iS6,534

[Hon. E.lwai.l Rnseuater, ediLor of the Omaha Dailv Ilee, is a native of lioheniia, and was born in 1S41. Whdi ihiilecn years old he LMiii- :, ;Im I mu-d Stales with his parents, who located at Cleveland, Ohio, where he resided for four years. He attended a eM,,) ;, , and tlicn entered the telegraphic service in which he continued f..r tliirteen years. He was employed as telegrapher in « n. ; ; . . .1,1-, 111 lS^j, durins,' the celeij.ated Wellington rescue c.ise, and wa= intimately associated with some ol the leading ,,i .. ilii i.,ii!-; ., hody he made an excellent

among whom were Polk, leco'i d and \\ ielded a power-

When the ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^H

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^B^^^^^^^^^^^^k He founded

the North as soon as possi- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^B^^^^^^^^^^H the Daily Bee June 19, 1871.

ble he enlisted in the spring ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^ ^^ ^^^^^^^^^^Hi '^he history of this paper is

of 1862 in the United States ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^ ^^^El^^^^l ^' '^^^ passed

military telegraph corps, ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^P ^M^^^^^si through the severest trials,

and accompanied General ^^^^^^^^^^^^I^^^^^K ^^^^^^^^^E '^'"' '^'^^ indomitable energy

Fremont throughout h i s ^^^^^^^^^■^^■^^^^^F ^^^^^^^^"^ of Mr. R o s e w a t e r has

West Virginia campaign. ^Hl^^^^P^H^B^ ' , :d bn.ught'it t.i the front rank

At a later date he was at- ^^^^^P^~^~ aB^^K ^ .il .\merican journalism, and

tached to General Pope's ^^^^E iM^^fc — ^ ,- % today it is classed among

staft, and accompanied that ^^Hi^^^^F t^B^^F -^^^^S' ^^ * lie leading, most enterpris-

commander during the cam- ^^^^^H||^ f^K* ^*^ ^ 1 ing and most prosperous paign against Richmond, ^^^^^^^^t * "^^ J newspapers in the United remaining with him until ^^^^^^^^K \ 1 States. He has fought mo- after the second battle ot ^^^^^^^^^^K v '^^SEr 3 uopoly in every "quarter Bull Run. Subsequently he ^^^^^^^B' - "'^^ J "i'li sn'^h «" lionesty and was stationed in the war ^^^^^^■E JAmM^- 1 ^'S"'' ^'i^^ ''« ^^^ "i^''"-" department office at Wash- ^^^^^^^B ^^9^^^- m his paper eagerlv sought for ington in the military tele- ^^^^^^^B -,^^F^ a l,v the toilini' imrssesof the graph service, where he re- ^^^^^^^^^K '^^^^frS _ \ , 1 .m 1 , r he is mained until the summer of ^^^^^^^K ^^H^fefl^' i clear 1863 when he came to ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^F ^£' M,aigns.'

Omaha, which at that time ^^^^^^^^^^^^^— ^^^^™^. ^^^^^P |^^E^ iinn»

was the terminus of the Pa- ^^^^^^^^^H^^BH^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^K

years Mr. was ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^I^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^ISK <i<

the manager of the Western ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BBj^^^K- lm>m 1 iimIc I. iLi^..ihd during

Union, Atlantic and Pacific ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^L ^wM^Bmr-^!=£^

and Great Western lines at ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^ S^S^K^ff

Omaha, and during the ^^S^^^^^^KB^t^KK^^^^^f^^ ^^^^' "^ matesof |>oliticalop]H)nents.

same period he was the ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^(fc|^^ ""*^P™^ \ republican, he believes in

associated press agent and ^T '^''"S^^ nrinciplesmore than in men,

telegraphic correspondent *. and has no respect for bad

for several of the leadin- ,-_ _ , : representatives of good prin-

eastern dailies. In the fail "' " ^ * ■ cinles. He is one of the

of 1870 he was elected to - hun. edwakd ROSEVV.^TI.R. hardest workers in Omaha,

the Legislature, in which and pays the closest possible

attention to all the departments of his newspaper, which is a power throuuhoul Nebraska. He cmjilovs the best talent available, and pays his employes liberal salaries. As a public spirited citizen Mr. Ro,r«,,ni 1 mk, mion- ilie lorem..st men of Omaha. Ik- has done a great deal to advance the material interests of the city, and is ah> . ; , .M.t^in the 1110,1 siilisianlial manner niiv worthy public enterprise. Many of the most notable public improvements a; . . ■. ,. l.. nuaMue, due to hi, persistent advocacy n'l them, as well as his financial support. The Bee publishing company — ovei li^Iu\ \.^\ tent, of tlie stock of which is owned by Mr. Rosewater— has begun the erection of a magnificent si.xstory building, i ',2 'feet square, at the northwest corner of Farnam and Seventeenth streets. It will be absolutely fire-proof, and in architectural design will be one of the handsomest as well as one of the massive buildings in the West. Its cost will be in the vicinity of $325,000,]

The growth in importance of the stock j^ards is thus shown to be truly marvelous, but not less so is the growth of the packing interests as can be shown by this table showing the consump- tion of South Omaha packing houses :

SHEEP. CATTLE. HOGS.

'^|5 iM57^ '~Ti,248~~ '"78,385

'°°*' iS,547 59.039 2^6,647

1887 19,570 75, "99 1.028,854

The record made at South Omaha places the cit\' third in the list of meat-making cities in the country, only Chicago and Kansas City excelling in the order named. By next year the mon- ster packing house of Armour & Co. will be in operation, and it is confidently expected that Omaha will closely contest with Kansas City for second place. The development of this great interest is, of course, inainly due to the enterprise and energy of the wealthy corporation which inaugurated it, but there are also natural advantages which have materially assisted, Omaha is the central point

dAfA//A iLLUSTRAfED.

of a great railroad system. To the vast area of country the 34,000 miles of road in tKat systeM 3eaetrate, the nearest and most conveilient market is afforded. The stockmen of Nebraska, Wyom^

ing atid the Western Jilainsj and eVert those of \vestern Iowa find they need not take their stock to Chicago. By coming to Omaha, time and money are saved, and themselves conven- ienced, and here they come, and with such profit to themselves that the business of the yards is constantly and rapidly increasing. The cattle, sheep and hog products being concen- trated here the heaviest firms in the United States engaged in the manufacture of meats have found it to their interest to move here from Chicago, and points fu r t he r east. They have found it necessary to be nearer to the base of supplies. They can manufacture the meat more cheaply here, and ship it east, than they can ship the hogs and cattle east and turn them into meat. No city in the Union is so favored as Omaha in this respect, and as Chicago, twenty years ago, wrested from Cin- cinnati the title of Porkopo- lis, so Omaha is now engaged in taking it away trom Chi- cago, and the prediction is ventured that within five years Omaha will have be- come the chief hog and cat- tle market, and the chief meat-making city of the United States. The site of the stock yards is ample to accommodate such a condi- tion and all improvements are being made upon a scale commensurate with its achievement. The present E" daily capacity of the pack ing houses for killing is ID, 000 hogs and 1,200 cattli .''nd the average value of residence of joseph peiss.

hogs is $14, and of cattle $35. The number of men employed in the packing houses approxi- mates 2,000. During I S87, a railroad corporation was formed in connection with the stockyards,

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED,

the purpose being to afford ample trackage and switching faciHties, which will prevent arty Corpora- tion controlling yard facilities in a manner inimical to any other or to the interests of the yards. A tunnel leading to the Missouri River has also been constructed to afford proper drainage, and this with a good system of water-works afford good sanitary conditions. Naturally the development of such big enterprises and the employment of so many men has gathered about the locality a con- siderable population. South Omaha has been incorporated as a city of the second-class and has

[Charles McKenzie Dinsmoor, A. M., M. D., is of Scotch descent. His ancestors emigrated from the mother country and came to New Boston, New Hampshire, in 1756. The subject of this sketch was born in Windsor county, Vermont, August i 1828 and he lived there with his grandfather, Deacon Chirles McKenzie, on thelatter's farm, until he arrived at the age of eighteen'years! He was fitted for college at Kimball Union Academy at Meriden, New Hampshire, and received his degree of Master of Arts from Waterville College, Maine. present highly flourishing con- Having a predilection for dition in the city and State.

pursued ^^^^H^l^^^^^l^^HI^^^H^^HII^^H ^^ >^ ^ the Nebras-

^^^^^^^^^■^^^l^^^VSq^^^^^^^^H ka I, Knights of

Warren, of Boston, and Horace ^^^^^^^^HP < " ~' ^^^^^^^^H I'ythias, of which he is Chan-

Green, of New Yorl<; also ^^^^^^^HS^ W^^^^^^^M ^<^^'°'' Commander, and he is

the Vermont Medical College ^^^^^^^^ J^^^^^H -'^'"'geon. the rank of Ma-

and at the Harvard IMedical ^^^^^^HRp . WHsS^^^^^^^I j°''' "^ "'<^ Second Regiment,

College, where he took a par- ^^^^^^K^' W^^^^^^^^^ (Omaha) Uniform Rank,

He completed ^^^^^H^- ^^^^^^^^^H Knights of Pythias, and also

them the Hahnemann ^^^^^^Hp ij^^^^^^^^^H President of the K. of P.

Medical College and Hos- I^^^^HK" ^^^^^^^^^^^H -Building Association. (The

pital, of Chicago. In iSSi ^^^^■[EP '■"^ W^^^^^^^^^M Knights of Pythias Building

Dr. Dmsmoor received the ^^^^Btf ..f'^^ ^^^^^^^^^^H Association of Omaha is

honorary deg.ee of M. D. ^^^^^E^^ "^ ^^^^^^^^^^H corporated company with a

from the Homeopathic Medi- ^^^^^H^ft ^^^^^^^^^^M capital .stock of $300,000 di-

CoUege Missouri, ^^^^^^^HB Y jt^^^^^^^^^^^^ vided into shares of $10 each,

of St. Louis. He came to ^^^^^H^^S '[^^V W^^^K^^^M The forming of such a corpora-

Omaha in 187S and has taken ^^^^^^^^^^ .Ijitt^^ffi^^^^^^^l tion for the purpose of erecting

high rank as a physician and a ^^^^^^^■k| , -i»""^r"™™~^^^^M am.ngnificantCasllc Hall which

citizen. He has received many ^^^^^^^HP ^^^H should at once be a credit to

professional honors since his l^H^^^^^^HIl l^^^^l * ''""^ order and an ornament to

residence here. Atpresenthe H^HHHIlKt ^^^H the city, o.igiiialcd wiih las. A.

is a member of the Nebi.iski |r;;f- ^^II^SmIn J^^^H ^"^I'own and Henry Creighton,

State Homeopathic Medu il j ' 3|^^L \ 'Blfebk^H^H composing the firm of Brown &

Society, of which he has beu. -^Jl^^M^X tHHI^^H Creighton;l)r.C. M. Dinsmoon,

president; also a member ol L^^i^^^^^^^^^^. l^^^^^^M David Kaufman, Col. Thomas

the Western Academy of Home- I^^^^^^^^^^SKt ^^^^^H Cnrrell,C. S.Higginsandafew

opathy, of which he has been ^^^^^^^^^^^^■■|> ' iH^H^H ot'^'^i' '^^^^^ l<nown members of

vice-president also a member ^^^^^^^^■^^■P'- i^^^^^H ' the order. These

ofthe Associated Alumni of Ha- ^^^^^^^^^H^^^ v,^ v.''-fl^^^^l Knightshave been constant and

hnemann Medical College and ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 4^^&'^^^^^^H untiringintheir efforts to make

Hospital of Chicago, of which HH^^^^^^^^^^^ « ^'I^^^^^^^^H theenterpriseasucccssandhave he IS the present president and ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Aj^iral^^^^^^H already placed a sufficient num-

a member the American In- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^k JMM^^^^^^^^M ber of stock, princi-

stitute of Homeopathy. Dr. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^H pally of the

Dinsmoor has up a large ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^HH^^^^^^H order, to the of

highly practice ^^^^^■^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^■^^H the finest Hall

one the ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^■^^■^^^^^^^^^1 ca. most successful physicians in ^— ^^-^^^-■^^— ^— ^^^ii^^^-^^"^^^^^ lo be located at the intersection the city. He has been largely i,r. c. M. DINSMOOR. PKESIDEnt K. OF P. building association. of Farnam and Nineteenth instrumental in bringing the streets, a site where its architec-

Knights of Pythias to their i-aral beauties will stand out in

bold relief. To_ the architects, Messrs. Mendelssohn & Lawrie, great praise is due for the c.iiceplion of a plan so unique and appro- priate. The officers of the company are : President, Dr. C. M. Dinsmoor; secretary, Jas. .V. Brown; treasurer, David Kaufman.) It can be as truly said of Doctor Dinsmoor as of any other man, that he is a self-made citizen. His life has been full of the toil and struggles that fall to the lot of the physician depending solely upon his own skill and knowledge. At the age of fifty-eight years he is full of vigor, sound in mind and body, a hearty, sturdy representative of the old New England stock. His present wife, Mrs. Orpha C. Dinsmoor, was a native of Windsor county, Vermont, though she lived in Illinois for many years. She is one of the best known ladies in Omaha and is at present the president of the Associated Charities of Nebraska, and a member of many other citv. State and National organizations.]

now an estimated population of 12,000. Enterprising real estate firms have reaped a bonanza from the rapid rise in value of property suitable for residence purposes and the locality having street railway as well as hourly railroad connection with the city proper, lots for residence purposes are in great demand because of their cheapness. It is also announced that during 1888 two syndicates will construct a few hundred cottages for purposes of renting. No adequate description of the rapid growth of South Omaha can be put on paper. It is known though that over $1,000,000 have been expended this year (1S87) in improvements, a remarkable showing for a city of its size. It has been already pointed out that the conditions have been favorable to the development ofthe existing great interests, and not the least of these conditions is found in the circumstance that Nebraska, Wyoming, Dakota, Kansas and all the western country tributary to Omaha are rapidly developing. The great cattle kings whose thousands of beeves grazed upon the western plains are disappearing and the vast herds with them. Cattle, sheep and hog raising is passing into the hands of the farmer.

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

The latter finds it profitable to raise stock to consume his corn and grain and not depend upon east- ern markets to dispose of those products. Meat is a staple of life and with a good market conven-

, _ ^ vcnicnt, stock-raising is profitable. Omaha affords that

market by consuming the product in its packing houses, and the western farmer is devoting his attention more largely to stock-raising each year because Omaha is ready to take his hogs and cattle at fui puces From the very nature of thmjs the meat maknig interests here must develop, and their development means additional commercial benefit, picstige and importance for Omaha The Union Stock \ ards Company has at present a capital stock of $2,000,000, and Its officers are John A McShane, president ; W. A. Pa\ton vice president , J C Sharp secretary and treasurer ;

J. F. Boyd,

to the facih

ties of the

stock ) ards,

the} have

been 1 n -

creased until

t h e }' u 1 1 1

now accom

modate 16

000 hogs,

14,000 eattlc

and I O 000

sheep d-iih

There aie at

present four

extensive

packing cs

tablishmcnts at South Oina

ha. The h^use of G H

Hammr nd S. Co is the pn

nccr. It IS now lunning

with a capacit) of 700 cattle

and 1000 hogs per daj ,

which will be considerabh

increased during the e min^

}'ear. Fowlei Bi s 1 il

daily o\er 5 000 hogs gniiK

cmplo\ment to 500 men

Armoui 8. Co ha\e a ci]

city rf abiut 6 ooo he

and G. F. Swift has just

completed a plant that will

demand requires. There are

RFnrRICK METZ — METZ' TCblDLNCE — METZ DRI WERY.

slaughter 800 head of cattle per diem, and as many sheep as the also a number of smaller enterprises incident to the stock yards that

add to the material prosperity of South Omaha, amoiv^ them being two mammoth rendering estab-

OMAHA ILLUSTRATED.

lishment, several hide houses, glue factories, etc. Two more packing houses, each capable of handling as much stock as either of itg predecessors, will undoubtedly be erected before October

I, 1 888. The first of these is the packing house of Murphy Bros., of Chicago, grounds for which have already been purchased. Kingan & Co., of Indianapolis, have already opened correspondence with the management of the stock yards regarding land for a site upon which to erect a pork and beef packing house, and will undoubtedly move here shortly. The latest proposition is from Morris, of Chicago, the king of beef-canners, who desires to establish a branch house in South Omaha. Several manufacturing enterprises have also been estab- lished on " Albright's Choice," where the new station — "Albright" — was recently erected by the Union Pacific Railway. This beautiful tract is being rapidly covered with cottages for the use of the employes of the big packing houses, and is situated at a convenient and desirable distance

from the stock yards. Trains, to and from Omaha, are run with great frequency, and in all respects it is a popular suburb. Among the industries which are already flourishing at Albright is the Omaha Carriage and Sleigh Works, and a large and well facilitated flour- ing mill. Building sites for several other enterprises have been selected, and it is ex- pected that in less than a year hence the busi- ness and residence improvements of this addition will extend into what was the original plat of South Omaha. In South Omaha proper — that is, the original plat — the most imposing structure is the Stock Exchange building, erected at the time the yards were iriTEu k i , ^_ , rp IDL^cF..

in course of construction. It is a model of convenience, and answers the ideal purpose of a hotel and office building. It contains 20 rooms for offices, besides the bank, and 46 spacious hotel rooms.

9912

^^•^^mimmiiwn-